MEDEL GALLERY SHU is pleased to present JohDai Watanabe’s solo exhibition, “JOHDAISM_A.F.A.B.,” from September 27 to October 9.

JohDai Watanabe, a contemporary artist who focuses on the evolution of manga from the Edo period to the present, centers this exhibition on magazine (print media) and screen composition. Ukiyo-e and bijinga, which were popular forms of entertainment in the Edo period, are characterized by their extremely stylized lines and shapes. These bold designs captivated Impressionist painters of the time. The method used by Edo-period artists to deform shapes and spaces into instantly recognizable symbols resonated with the public and continues to influence modern manga and advertising design.

Watanabe’s bijinga paintings also feature dynamic lines and flat compositions structured with the black and white learned through manga. However, as these works were originally intended for printing or reproduction (even in ukiyo-e), they are simplified into black lines, dots, and white spaces. JohDai reconstructs this in acrylic paintings with flat and meticulous detail, creating a unique appeal as standalone paintings. Enjoy how the simplified female figures in manga, the play of space and color that accentuates bijinga, and the use of “black and white” and “lines” born through the filter of printed media are utilized.

This exhibition, themed around the fictional magazine “JOHDAISM,” features the “JD-girl_p.g.” series, a blend of bijinga and genre painting. In manga, fashion magazines sometimes appear as props, and the design of covers and page layouts is also the mangaka’s job (often done by assistants). JohDai reconsiders these elements of design and printing from a manga-like perspective, exploring color usage and possibilities within his “modern ukiyo-e” concept.

JohDai Watanabe

JohDai Watanabe’s works, where he revisits the path laid out by artists who creatively deformed and captured the spirit of the times, reflecting their playful spirit and respect for art.