NANZUKA Kotaro Abe Effigy Exhibition Tokyo Japan

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Artists often revert to unconventional methods for their paints, some having famously used blood, coffee or even urine to form both the literal and conceptual basis of their work. For Japanese artist Kotaro Abe, fish farming has always played a fundamental role for his family and he sought to instill a penchant of the sea in his own practice, by mixing fish feed — such as black sesame seeds and tapioca flour — with paints to create his mythological canvas paintings.

On view at NANZUKA 2G in Tokyo, Abe presents EFFIGY, a series of new wall works that resemble imaginary creatures from the ocean. Abe’s process is intuitive, as he sketches his thoughts directly on whiteboards, sourcing from the many things he’s touched or experienced throughout his life. From DODOMEKI, a multi-eyed alien akin to a Star Trek character to KINGREDER, a sword-wielding chieftain that looks facially similar to Aku Aku from Crash Bandicoot — each unique canvas composition reflects one-of-a-kind textures that are the result of Abe’s unique mixture of paints and materials.