Yutaka Tsukada | Illustration after 'Buta-ka'──'Who was Takeya Sugoroku? Exhibition of Hiro Sugiyama and Takeya Sugoroku' / Part 1
This article reviews the exhibition 'Who was Takeya Sugoroku? Exhibition of Hiro Sugiyama and Takeya Sugoroku' and explores the background of the illustrator's work, including 'Buta-ka' and 'Hetau-ma'.Summary
This article reviews the exhibition "Who was Takeya Sugoroku? Exhibition of Hiro Sugiyama and Takeya Sugoroku" and explores the background of the illustrator's work, including 'Buta-ka' and 'Hetau-ma'. The 1990s design illustration era was often described as stagnant due to the absence of stars like Tadanori Yokoo, but it was also a period of matured practice. Hiro Sugiyama used the alias "Takeya Sugoroku" to create characters that were more likable, as his early commercial illustrations were criticized for being too story-heavy and cluttered with unnecessary information. He developed a unique style by collaging American comics and covering them with white acrylic paint. The author argues that this style is connected to the previous generation's 'Buta-ka' and 'Kitsch culture', noting that for Sugiyama, Western culture was a daily reality rather than an object of longing. However, the author suggests that his characters, while crude, inherit the spirit of 'Hetau-ma' advocated by his mentor Yukihiko Yumura.
(Source：artscape)