Poo On Art #6 – Shibuya Tadaoimi: “Colours”

The explosions of carefully calculated tones of colour in his paintings perfectly complement the equally colourful apparel at Harajuku’s two-story 55DSL.

Much of his works are influenced by hip hop, and possibly animation; portraits of beautiful black men and women (including such starts as Kelly Roland of Desiny’s Child fame) and Gundam-like robots are interspersed throughout the store.

The linearity of the paintings give the impression of them being designed digitally on the computer – and perhaps they are – but the glistening surface of the canvases attest to the fact the finished products are indeed hand-painted. This final ‘human’ touch gives warmth to Shibuya’s work, which otherwise might be overlooked as just some more seen-it-before, slick graphic designs.

There is surprisingly a lot to see for an in-store exhibit. If you’re a fan of pop art (or just attracted to trashy colours like me), and have some time to spare in Harajuku, this is a highly recommended time-killer. Good music, too.