Aya Kato’s New Phantasms
Take a look at Cheval Noir [Black Horse] – artist Aya Kato’s portfolio site, especially if you’re familiar with her work. I was just reminded of her by Ashbet and noticed a significant change in her work’s direction. Aya Kato made herself a name with eye-drowning elaborate technicolor illustrations, influenced in equal parts by Ukiyo-e and Art Nouveau. More than half of her 2008 work borders on minimal, with subdued colors and more negative space. After years of churning out ornate psychedelic panels it’s an understandable step for the young artist. It’ll be curious to see whether she’ll push herself even further in this direction.
Spider, 2008
Aya Kato has been featured in countless magazines and her designs adorn everything from chocolate boxes to T-shirts to Hitachi adverts. At such a young age she’s had international success, and I’m eager to see whether her new work’s look will catch on commercially. Compare the image above, created in 2008, to Akazukin, from three years ago, below. Patterns and transformation are featured in both, but the similarities end there. Personally, as much as I love the clean and minimal, I miss the vivid landscapes and superabundance of Aya’s older work.
Akazukin, 2005
- Aya Kato T-shirts
- Tori Amos music video based on Aya Kato’s work
- Murakami on Coilhouse
- Yana Moskaluk on Coilhouse
More from Aya Kato below the jump.
Neko Musume, 2008
Fantasy, 2007
Rokuro Kubi, 2008
Dracula, 2008
Pink World, 2007
Italy, 2005
Samurai Turu, 2005
Kaeru, 2006
September 2nd, 2008 at 4:25 pm
She really reminds me of a cross between Kay Nielsen and Aubrey Beardsley, although very much with her very own visionary twist.
Gorgeous stuff!
September 2nd, 2008 at 4:31 pm
I adore Neilsen’s work! Many similar influences, I’m sure.
September 2nd, 2008 at 4:33 pm
Cool, it’s like digital Dali. Trippy.
September 2nd, 2008 at 5:40 pm
ART PORN!!!
Love it!
September 2nd, 2008 at 8:15 pm
I think you just made me love Tori again, after disconnecting for several albums…
September 2nd, 2008 at 9:26 pm
Jerem, I just wish they’d really decked Tori out all the way, crazy deco hair an all!
September 3rd, 2008 at 7:50 am
I got my copy of Coilhouse last week… I can’t put it down! Keep up the great work! xo Lavona
September 3rd, 2008 at 9:17 am
Yup, it’s definitely Nielsen-Yoshitaka Amano-Beardsley..
September 3rd, 2008 at 11:51 am
It’s always nice to be introduced to a fantastic artist that I am completely unaware of. Thanks Zo!
September 3rd, 2008 at 9:50 pm
I thought I recognized the name and then remembered that her work was inspiration for “Sleeps With Butterflies”. Her work is definitely beautiful to look at.
March 26th, 2009 at 3:14 pm
I was truly amazed by Aya Kato’s work at first and when I learned that she’s using Photoshop and Illustrator program on her pieces my admiration for her went from 10 to 2. I work a lot with these programs and the copy and paste materials seen on her pieces are so obvious, I lost a little respect for her medium. I’m surprised a lot of people don’t know this.