In the late 1950s and early 1960s, a new generation of Japanese artists, driven by a desire to challenge the Japanese art tradition, embraced the Pop Art movement. Among them were Keiichi Tanaami (born in 1936 in Tokyo), an influential figure in Japanese Pop Art. Extremely prolific, Keiichi Tanaami has dedicated himself to illustration, animation, experimental cinema and painting, creating images that have become part of the Japanese and American cultural background and have influenced artistic movements in Japan, such as Superflat, led by Takashi Murakami and Yoshitomo Nara. It was cinema that created the bridge to American culture. "I loved movies so much since it was the greatest entertainment in the post- war time. I watched more than 500 movies in a year, but most of those were B movies. However, I was thoroughly enchanted and started to like American culture" recalled the artist. Keiichi Tanaami's eye recently fell on a dusty canvas lying on the floor of his studio, a reproduction he had made of Picasso's painting, Mother and Child. The Spanish master's work left an indelible mark on Tanaami, who has made replicas of it from time to time ever since. The exhibition offers an overview of the latest series of works.
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