Art Exhibition Navi Exclusive: Special Interview with Rella x Miwa Kukina (Part 3) - Katsushika Hokusai x Hatsune Miku Collaboration Exhibition "Polaris - Icons and Artists Beyond Eras" Opens at Printing Museum on September 19
Illustrator Rella discusses adapting character costumes to fit Hokusai's Japanese aesthetic and her deep admiration for the Edo-period artist in this interview.Summary
Top illustrator Rella has created six new works fusing Katsushika Hokusai's Mount Fuji with virtual singers like Hatsune Miku, which will be exhibited at the "Polaris - Icons and Artists Beyond Eras" show at the Printing Museum (Sept 19, 2026 - Jan 11, 2027). This article is Part 3 of a special interview between Rella and curator Miwa Kukina.
The interview details Rella's efforts to adapt the characters' futuristic official costumes into a Japanese style. To blend them into Hokusai's world, she incorporated traditional geometric patterns like rhombuses and straight lines, reduced exposure, and transformed key character traits into Japanese motifs. For example, Hatsune Miku's arm covers became wavy sleeves, and KAITO's scarf and coat were reshaped like waves.
Rella also shares her profound respect for Hokusai, whose dying wish to become a "true artist" gave her courage during her 20s. She expresses a desire to paint until she is very old and a greedy ambition to master all subjects. Her approach involves painting the character's entire environment, which led her to the concept of making characters 'jump into' Hokusai's paintings.
(Source：美術展ナビ)