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February 26, 2019
The First Solo Exhibition in Japan by the Bold and Fearless Artist LUSH | ART
Hidari Zingaro | Connecting the Street and the Internet
The First Solo Exhibition in Japan by the World's First Meme Artist, LUSH.
“Okay, now THIS is epic.” Held in Nakano, Tokyo
An exhibition of new works by LUSH, a street artist who creates massive murals featuring memes, celebrities, and politicians overflowing from the internet, is currently being held at Hidari Zingaro in Nakano, Tokyo. The exhibition runs until Friday, March 8, 2019.
Text by OZAKI Sayaka
Memes Spreading Online Permeate the Realm of the Real World
LUSH is an Australian artist based in Melbourne. His street murals, which ironically depict internet memes (images created and spread by users on social media and forums), have gained attention, making him one of the most divisive yet influential figures in the graffiti world.
Following exhibitions in Melbourne, Los Angeles, San Francisco, New York, and London, he undertook a project touring Europe in a converted exhibition truck in 2014. In 2015, his work was also displayed at "Dismaland," a temporary theme park created by the enigmatic British artist Banksy, to great acclaim.
LUSH has fearlessly continued to paint on buildings and walls worldwide, drawing on black humor and political satire from internet culture, as well as anonymous online images, shocking and irreverent elements, or celebrities and politicians that dominate social media. These locations become selfie spots for Instagrammers, and LUSH's work, in turn, enlivens internet culture.
LUSH's solo exhibition, “Okay, now THIS is epic.,” is currently on display at Hidari Zingaro gallery in Higashi-Nakano, Tokyo, until Friday, March 8, 2019. This exhibition, LUSH's first solo show in Japan, also features new canvas works depicting familiar celebrities, comic book characters, and anime figures.
In his new canvas works, celebrities, politicians, and memes are presented as already integral elements of online visual culture. Furthermore, by transplanting these elements into the gallery space, LUSH questions how memes disseminated online infiltrate the realm of the real world. We invite you to pay close attention to the works of LUSH, an artist who dismantles established values, playfully depicting the visual culture that surrounds us today.
“Okay, now THIS is epic.”
Dates | Until Friday, March 8, 2019
Venue | Hidari Zingaro
Address | Nakano Broadway 3F, 5-52-15 Nakano, Nakano-ku, Tokyo
Hours | 12:00–19:00, Closed Wednesdays