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THE ART OF MAC: AYA KATO

Japanese artists use Apple Computers to take us back to the future of graphics.

By A. David Cooper
November 2005

The history of Japanese art is the history of the country’s popular culture. Even back in the days when the samurai were depicted in two-dimensional forms illustrating epic stories, the art form was still considered an early form of manga (Japanese comics if you will.) But that was the isolationist Japan. Today the nation, boasting the second largest economy on the planet right after America, has tapped into the global consciousness and popular culture. And, as a result, the local culture has undergone a kind of hybridization of forms.

As the number two market for Mac computers, right behind the United States, Japan has firmly established itself as a cultural and technological powerhouse. In fact, Japan was the very first foreign market where Apple Computer decided to open an Apple Store. First there was Tokyo, then Osaka, and now plans are in the works to set up a store in Nagoya. In comparison, the United Kingdom is just now getting its “first” Apple Store. And as the Mac has gained popularity in Japan, the artists using the computer have managed to distinguish themselves by using it to create new styles of art.

Currently, the most popular art movement coming out of Japan is called “super flat.” The brainchild of artist Takashi Murakami, super flat is meant to denote the aspect of Japanese modern art that is colorful and full of life on its surface, yet lacking true depth. Thus, super flat. But in the wake of Murakami’s numerous shows coining the name, and taking his “art” to the bag of Luis Vuitton and other brands, some in the art world have begun to question whether Murakami’s super flat movement is more “super hype” designed mainly to sell t-shirts and dolls (oh yes, and a little art too). While Murakami’s own work may currently be suspect, the super flat description of Japanese post-modern art does in fact ring true.

Aya Kato, one of Japan’s newest rising art stars is testament to that fact. Composing her work in a multimedia environment of traditional art tools as well as a healthily stocked Mac set-up, Kato churns out some of the most dazzling post-modern art we’ve seen in quite some time. If there were ever a way to merge the forms of Japanese manga and European baroque sensibilities, Kato may very well be on the road to finding the perfect balance of the two. “I chose Mac because of the incredible design, and the feeling of cool it inspires in me,” says Kato, who switched from a PC. “I wanted a computer that I could love all the time, even when I’m not using it. So, I bought Mac with the same feeling one might have when you buy a living pet. I don’t consider the Mac as a passing tool; I think of it as a lifelong partner. It’s just like a best friend.”

Working on an iMac G4, Kato creates her work using Photoshop 6.0, and Illustrator 8.0, all transmitted on an 800x600 32-bit monitor. Her first introduction to the Mac was seductive. “There was a PowerBook G3 installed in the library of the high school which I was attending. The black body was beautiful and very impressive. I was totally charmed by the color and design, and I thought that I had to use this computer in the future.” Ah, the educational Mac strikes again! It also turns out that Kato’s art future was formed in school as well. “I studied educational fine arts at my local university. I was influenced by manga comics of many different artists. Comics are a deep part of my life, and they are also essential to Japanese culture. My early idea that I wanted to draw comics is what eventually led me to start creating artistic graphics works. I originally studied the style of Hokusai, and the work style of Ukiyoe.”

Kato’s work process is such a perfect blend of Apple Computer expertise and the organic human touch, that the final product often appears to be painted completely by hand. Luckily, Kato isn’t shy about sharing her technique. “I start with a line drawing. It is completely free form. The draft is then divided and drawn on about six sheets. This is referred to as the method of multicolored printing, as practiced by Ukiyoe. Then I scan the images, and the drafts of six sheets are combined on my Mac. After that, the color is added using a layer as well. During this point, the entire balance of the composition can be seen and completed. Because of this technique, the appearance often looks like an etching, and has a nearly analog feel. Which is exactly what I am trying to accomplish.” As the Mac computer continues to evolve, so too will the artists who use it. And if Kato is any indication, we can expect a lot more Mac magicians emerging from the land of the rising sun.

Aya Kato Website:
http://www.geocities.jp/b_ba_a0530/