By
Keat Looi
Cute
but frightening, endearing but creepy, nostalgic
but undoubtedly modern: Junko Mizuno's art is
confusing, conflicted…and captivating. Described
as ‘cute-grotesque’ or ‘kawaii-noir’
her designs defy categorisation, at once evoking
Japanese cute, Asian horror and 1970s American
comicana. I
ask her what it is that people find appealing
about her work: “I think it depends on the
people, but maybe the naked ladies!”
Indeed,
her style owes as much to the Spice Girls and
Russ Meyer as it does to horror movies. “I
have been, and am, influenced by many things around
me,” she says. “When I was little,
I kept on drawing manga, but I quit drawing after
I went to middle school. After that, I was only
drawing arty things, but it was Sailor Moon (a
popular anime series about schoolgirls with magical
powers) that got me thinking again about the power
of popular entertainment like manga and anime.
Sailor Moon triggered a change in the style of
my work. From then on, I started to incorporate
those kind of elements into my work. It gradually
formed my art style as it is today.”
It's
a style that comes as a bit of a shock to some:
Cute semi-naked girls with big eyes, adult themes,
dripping blood and zombies in washed-out fluorescent
colours. “It all depends on people,”
she says. “In any country, there are only
three types of people: Open-minded people, closed-minded
people, and people who are simply indifferent.”
She favours the nostalgic 70s style because “those
were the times when I was a child. The designs
used back then were pretty crazy compared to today.”
Junko
Mizuno was born in Tokyo in 1973. She cites legendary
manga artists Osamu Tezuka and Leiji Masumoto
as influences, as well as Japanese horror artists
like Hideshi Hino and Kazuo Umezu. She made her
debut in 1996 and moved on to illustrate booklets
for the Pure Trance series of dance CDs. The comic
strips became so popular that they were eventually
published as a graphic novel. But it was her ‘fairytale
horror’ trilogy (Cinderella, Hansel &
Gretel, Princess Mermaid) that really broke new
ground. The combination of childhood story and
Mizuno's killer designs was a match made in, well,
fairyland, yet her editor had only asked her to
adapt Cinderella because he wasn't confident in
her storytelling! “I think my storytelling
skills have improved a bit since then” she
says. “I always liked creating stories;
both stories and visuals are important for me
and I intend to put as much energy in one as the
other for the future.”
Like
many character artists, Junko also designs widely
for clothing, books, toys, CD covers, TV programmes,
even nightclub décor. Yet her popularity
at home is relatively modest compared to the rest
of the world. “Japan is a country that is
not very friendly to artists who do not have too
much commercial success.” She adds: “Artists
are not very respected if they are not affiliated
with big publishers or advertising agencies. I
think I am not that popular compared to others
in Japan. When I go overseas, I get treated well,
so I am sometimes perplexed and overwhelmed.”
She says the number one difference between Japanese
and Western fans is that “Japanese fans
are shy and not very expressive; Western fans
express their feelings directly.” Indeed,
her cult designs have attracted a large following.
“When I'm drawing my piece, I never ever
think about stuff like ‘I am going to create
something cool.’ My work is the result of
something that comes out of me naturally, and
I only focus on having fun drawing.”
There's
a strong British connection with Junko's work.
She was greatly influenced by the British artist,
Aubrey Beardsley who is also known for ‘dark,’
‘grotesque’ and ‘perverse’
illustrations. “I remember when I was thirteen
or fourteen that I sketched many of his works,”
she says. Back in 2002, she designed layouts for
the BBC series Japanorama, presented by self-confessed
Japanophile, Jonathan Ross. “I have the
feeling of appreciation, even to this day, for
having been given an opportunity to introduce
my work for a very interesting programme. Jonathan
Ross came to my house for an interview and he
was a very nice, friendly person. He gave me lots
of toys as presents.”
Speaking
of toys, Junko has just contributed to the Pony
Project exhibition, opening this month in New
York, which challenged female artists to turn
oversized My Little Pony figures into works of
art: “I am a big fan of My Little Pony,”
she says, “so I gladly accepted the offer
to get involved. The theme for my work is witches
and flames.” In the meantime, she continues
to work on a new illustration book and a sequel
to Pure Trance. She also hopes to host an exhibition
outside of Japan. From Tokyo to New York, Paris
and London, Junko Mizuno has certainly come a
long way in the ten years since her debut. “I
think I have grown as a human being” she
says. “Rather than being desperate, I learned
to focus on enjoying when I am drawing.”
What about the attention and added pressure to
produce? “I like to create better things
and I always have a strong feeling for my work
to be enjoyed by many people, but that doesn't
give me more pressure.” She adds: “If
there comes a time when I have nothing that I
like to create any longer, only then will I want
to do some other types of jobs. For now, I have
many things that I want to create. I am constantly
encouraged by many fans and that gives me energy.”
www.mizuno-junko.com
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