NowHere Gallery hosts Pink Bunny, the upcoming solo exhibition by artist Maiko Kikuchi. The gallery’s final exhibition of the year, it runs from October 24 through November 24, 2024.

Waking Dreams

The unconscious is the wellspring of art. Ideas, some fully formed and some tantalizingly amorphous, bubble up from the dark ocean in our minds, all the time. It takes the artistic temperament to recognize, hone, and express the ones that cry out for it the most.

Dreams, perhaps the purest utterances of unconscious thought, have long been gifts to artists. From Renaissance stalwarts such as Raphael to 19th-century visionaries such as William Blake; surrealist mainstays such as Magritte to contemporary masters such as James Turrell, the fertile ground of the dreamscape has been a constant renewable resource for the creative act.

But what about daydreams? That sunlight cousin to the nightly dream, the daydream is equally capable of offering us jolts of inspiration, staggering us with unexpected juxtapositions, and equipping us with the tools to say what our unconscious is compelling us to say. The filmmaker David Lynch has long been proselytizing about the enormous potential daydreaming has for informing art. He has described it as a place where “all the thoughts just flow.”

But there is an essential difference between the daydream and the sleeping dream: One can be controlled and directed, at least to some degree, by the conscious mind, while the other holds us in its thrall and takes us wherever the id wishes to go. We can get lost inside a reverie, but we always have the power to change its course, adjust its focus, or hasten its pace. In this hybrid space between wakefulness and sleep, the artist might find incredible opportunities to enhance their work.

Maiko Kikuchi is an artist who has made harnessing her daydreams a central element of her practice. Her unique upbringing as the daughter of a practicing psychoanalyst in Japan gave her a deep and embedded understanding of the value of daydreaming, and her work—from paintings to collages to puppet-making to performance—relies on her ability to navigate and interpret the riddles offered to her by daydreams. By embracing dream logic and the twists of representation and narrative gifted to the artist by her subconscious, Kikuchi presents her audience with heavily personal art that’s riddled with archetypal imagery and moments. To briefly live inside her daydreams doesn’t only give us insight into her mind—it also invites us to look more closely at our own.

In addition to the exhibition, NowHere is hosting a series of live performances by Kikuchi on weekends throughout November. Register for the opening reception and choose a performance date at NowHere’s Eventbrite page. For more information about the exhibition, please visit the gallery’s website.

About Maiko Kikuchi

Maiko Kikuchi was influenced by her psychoanalyst father, becoming interested in the boundary between dreams and reality at a young age. When she was still little, she started creating art based on the idea of making “visible daydreams.” She received her B.A. in Theater Arts and Fashion Design from Musashino Art University in 2008, and she moved to the United States soon after to study fine art, receiving an M.F.A. in Sculpture from Pratt Institute in 2012. Her desire to broaden the expression of her daydreams led her to expand her practice to the theatre field in 2013.

As a visual artist, her work has been shown in an online solo exhibition entitled Daydreaming Monologist and the online group exhibition Finding Sanctuary, which was presented by Visionary Art Collective. Kikuchi’s other group exhibitions include shows at Ca’d’Oro Gallery (New York), Parasol Project (New York), HERE Art Center (New York), Jamestown Art Center (Rhode Island), J-Collabo (New York), and more.

Kikuchi also works in creative collaborations with various partners, making animations for musicians, theatre companies, and cultural organizations nationwide. She is currently a board member of The Jim Henson Foundation.

About NowHere

NowHere is a multipurpose hub for New York City-based Japanese creators from across all disciplines. The gallery exists to help emerging talent explore their maximum potential by providing them with the means to showcase their practice and expand their network. Just like the artists they serve, they emigrated to New York because this city is endlessly inspiring. By facilitating new art from a Japanese perspective, NowHere hopes to offer inspiration to New York in turn. Their mission is accomplished anew each time they are able to excite New York audiences with fresh energy and points of view.

Support JapanCulture•NYC by becoming a member! For $5 a month, you’ll help maintain the high quality of our site while we continue to showcase and promote the activities of our vibrant community. Please click here to begin your membership today!

Susan McCormac 9/8/23 Susan McCormac 9/8/23

TOKYO GEIDAI JAPAN ART WEEK

THE BRICKS NYC: 漸 – zén – TOKYO GEIDAI JAPAN ART WEEK

Friday, September 8 through Saturday, September 16

Opening Reception and Live Performance: Friday, September 8 at 6:00 p.m.

Blue Gallery – 222 E. 46th Street (between 2nd and 3rd Avenues)

In collaboration with the Tokyo University of the Arts (known as Tokyo GEIDAI), THE BRICKS NYC will be presenting TOKYO GEIDAI JAPAN ART WEEK at the Blue Gallery. The week-long exhibition is the third for THE BRICKS NYC. Each year, organizers choose one kanji that represents the concept of the event. This year, they have selected 漸 (zen), which means “evolutionary” or “progressive.”

Along with New York-based artists, professors and postgraduates will represent the Crafts, Japanese Art, and Design departments from the diverse fields of study at Tokyo GEIDAI. They will showcase their modern Japanese works, which enhance traditional Japanese art techniques. Workshops, Japanese tea ceremony experience events, concerts, and a panel discussion will also be held during the exhibition period.

Related Events

Opening Night

Friday, September 8 at 6:00 p.m.

Admission: Free

To kick off the exhibition, participating artists will be on hand at the opening reception. Duo YUMENO will perform live at 7:00 p.m.

Japanese Tea Ceremony Experience

Saturday, September 9

1:00 p.m. | 2:30 p.m. | 4:00 p.m. (Limited to 15 guests per session)

Admission:＄30 per person for each session

Tokyo GEIDAI with Morin Soma and Kino Maho from the Urasenke New York School will serve matcha in an elegant, modern setting inspired by the traditional Chakai style. They will use the finest unique utensils from the Japanese traditional culture of matcha drinking. Tea will be served with a small seasonal wagashi (confectionery) from Japan.

To register, please visit THE BRICKS NYC’s Eventbrite page and select your desired session.

Harvest Moon Melodies Art Song Concert

Sunday, September 10 at 2:00 p.m.

Admission: $20 Adults | $50 Families (Two adults and children) | $20 Students

"Otsukimi" is a Japanese tradition in September to appreciate the full moon and to express gratitude for this year’s harvest and hope for the year to come. GEIDAI graduates Soprano Naoko Nakagawa and pianist Junko Ichikawa present art songs and piano music with the themes of the moon and autumn. The program includes Japanese traditional folk songs and art songs as well as selections from famous operas. All ages are welcome.

Designer Nana Yamasaki (YAMMA) will provide costumes, and jewelry artist Keiko Kubota-Miura will provide jewelry and accessories.

To purchase tickets, please visit THE BRICKS NYC’s Eventbrite page.

JAA Maui Relief Fund Panel Q&A

Monday, September 11 at 7:00 p.m.

JAA Hall – 49 W. 45th Street, 5th Floor (between 5th and 6th Avenues)

Admission: $30 (Profits will be donated to the JAA Maui Relief Fund)

Special guest Yasunori Tanioka, a professor at the Tokyo University of the Arts, will lead a panel discussion based on the theme “Potential Roles of Japanese Art for Society.” Participating panelists include jewelry artist Keiko Kubota-Miura, Nihonga artist Takashi Harada, and composer Satoshi Kanazawa. The discussion will be in Japanese.

To register, please visit THE BRICKS NYC’s Eventbrite page.

Silver Leaf Workshop

Friday, September 15 from 6:00 p.m. until 9:00 p.m. and Saturday, September 16 from 1:00 p.m. until 4:00 p.m.

Admission: $250 for both days | $150 for September 15 only

Norihiko Saito, a professor in the Tokyo University of the Arts Department of Japanese Painting, will lead a two-day workshop focusing on basic application and advanced techniques using silver leaf. The workshop covers how to apply super-thin Japanese silver leaf on a painting. Saito will lecture about the decorativeness and understanding of "Ma” (space) in Japanese paintings. Participants can attend Day 1 only but must attend both days to complete their own hands-on work. Attending Day 2 only is not offered. Limited to 12 participants.

To register, please visit THE BRICKS NYC’s Eventbrite page.

Closing Event: Live Jazz and Sake Tasting

Saturday, September 16 at 6:00 p.m.

Admission: $30

The Yoshiki Miura Jazz Quartet will perform with special guest Asako Tamura (soprano). A sake tasting will be led by SAKE GENERATION Inc.

To purchase tickets, please visit THE BRICKS NYC’s Eventbrite page.

New York-Based Artists

Ushio Shinohara
Mizue Sawano
Keiko Kubota-Miura
Atsushi Ohashi
Takashi Harada
Rica Takashima
Mayumi Ohashi

Professors and Postgraduates from the Tokyo University of the Arts

Department of Crafts
Hiroki Iwata
Tomomi Maruyama
Hikaru Kamata
Yasunori Tanioka
Norihiko Ogura
Ryo Mikami
Nobuyuki Fujiwara
Nanako Yamada
Miyuki Imai
Mariko Saji
Ayumi Kubo
Heesoo Kim
Kie Imai
Shinnosuke Kameoka
Minako Nakai
Itsuki Hayano
Luwei Shan
Hiromu Noda

Department of Japanese Painting
Norihiko Saito
Killi Okaji
Naho Uno
Tianyi Chin
Kohei Sakamoto
Daisuke Takamori
Akane Yamamoto
Kumpei Yoshikawa
Department of Design
Kazuyuki Hashimoto
Manami Washino
Midori Takai
Yamamoto Hikaru
Shuri Tsuruta

TOKYO GEIDAI JAPAN ART WEEK is hosted by the Tokyo University of the Arts and THE BRICKS NYC with support from Tokyo University of the Arts Alumni Association of New York; Yoshino Gypsum Co., Ltd; Blue Building; WAON NY; het Lab Music & Arts; and SAKE GENERATION, Inc.

About THE BRICKS NYC

THE BRICKS is a nexus for arts and music comprised of Tokyo University of the Arts (GEIDAI) alumni. The alumni have been individually active in and around New York but decided to come together to launch THE BRICKS in the Fall of 2021. GEIDAI is the only national university in Japan that offers solely fine arts and music education, allowing the group to focus on celebrating the interdisciplinary mesh of different art styles.

The name "BRICKS” was inspired by red buildings on the grounds of Tokyo University of the Arts in Ueno, Tokyo. Commonly known as "Aka-renga,” the buildings have stood since the early Meiji era.

Generations of talented artists entered the history-filled bricks of the Blue Building, reminding alumni of a time when their community was filled with diverse musicians and artists.

For more information, please visit the group’s website.

Gallery Hours

Daily from noon until 7:30 p.m.
Except Friday, September 8 (open at 6:00 p.m.) and Monday, September 11 (closes at 5:30 p.m.)

Susan McCormac 6/29/23 Susan McCormac 6/29/23

“Immersive Kawaii Experience” at Sushidelic

What pops into your mind when you think of a typical sushi restaurant? Serene and minimalist ambiance with a beautifully crafted hinoki wood bar at which a limited number of customers watch a highly trained sushi chef skillfully craft pieces of nigiri one by one.

Sushidelic, a new sushi restaurant that opened in SoHo on June 28, turns that idea on its head.

The brainchild of Japanese artist Sebastian Masuda, Sushidelic—a portmanteau of “sushi” and “psychedelic”— is the opposite of how anyone would perceive a sushi restaurant. And it’s delightful.

Multidisciplinary Talent

Masuda is an artist who exhibits worldwide. He’s the founder of 6%DOKIDOKI, a Harajuku staple of kawaii toys and Decora fashion and accessories since the mid-1990s. In 2011 he served as the art director of J-pop idol Kyary Pamyu Pamyu’s music video for her hit song “PonPonPon.” The King of Kawaii Culture has added another job title to his impressive resume: restaurateur.

Rather, Masuda is re-adding the job title. From 2015 until 2021, Masuda and DD Holdings, a Japanese company that specializes in managing themed restaurants, ran the Kawaii Monster Café in Tokyo. Although reviews about the food weren’t exactly complimentary, the Kawaii Monster Café was a tourist destination, especially for fans of Masuda’s art and Harajuku’s subculture.

If you’re familiar with Masuda, you know that vibrant colors, 1970s plastic toys, eclectic faux fur, and all things kawaii find their way out of his brain and into the world in a jumbled and yet somehow cohesive manner. In his mind, sushi looks like dessert, and dessert looks like sushi. His imaginings have come to life at Sushidelic in the forms of macaron sushi and chirashi parfaits. Masuda wants his guests to enjoy “an immersive kawaii experience,” and he has created the perfect vehicle with which to accomplish it.

Sushidelic Candy5 Sebastian Masuda lollipop.jpg

Sushidelic carrot rings by Barry Wine.jpg

Sushidelic with Jen and Christy fandf.jpg

Sushidelic Sebastian and Hannah maneki neko and sushi.jpg

Sushidelic Sebastian and Jen with PA.jpg

Sushidelic kaiten sushi art headphones.jpg

Sushidelic the crowd at opening party.jpg

Sushidelic Tipsy Cat poses with Kawaii Community members from PA.jpg

Sushidelic with artist Shigeno and Candy5.jpg

When you enter Sushidelic, the first thing you’ll notice is that the decor isn’t anything you’d imagine from a sushi restaurant. The light fixtures are upside-down lipstick tubes. There are cloud-shaped mirrors on the ceiling. The giant heads of three cats hang above the bar, and they have names: Tipsy Cat, Lovely Cat, and Sexy Cat. The slowly rotate to reveal the pieces of sushi and a large pair of red lips on the back. To tie in the theme, the hostesses are called the “Delic Cats,” each wearing an outfit of Masuda’s design, matching the looks of Tipsy, Lovely, and Sexy.

The restaurant features a conveyor belt in the form of a long tongue emerging from a mouth-shaped opening in the kitchen wall. Sushidelic stands apart from average kaiten sushi spots where customers grab desired pieces of sushi off a rotating belt and have the color-coded plates tallied up at the end to calculate the bill. Instead, the tongue-belt carries Masuda’s artwork and beverages making their way from playful bartenders to customers sitting at the counter.

Unlike the kaiten sushi concept, Sushidelic’s offering is a six-course omakase dinner that Masuda calls “Pure Imagination.” A palette of six sauces accompanies the meal: black sesame, yuzu, mango and ginger, wasabi, spicy mayo, and a blueberry sauce to drizzle on dessert. It’s best to taste each piece of sushi first before adding any of the sauces, then experiment with the different flavors.

“Pure Imagination” Omakase Menu

Macaron Sushi
Macaron, tuna, sushi Rice

Hamachi
Hamachi, Ponzu, truffle oil, micro radish greens

Ape-Maki (Appetizer Rolls)
California roll with crab cake, salmon with salmon roe, eel tamago roll, and spicy tuna over crispy rice

Tempura
Shrimp, seasonal vegetable kakiage with matcha and yuzu salt

Chirashi Parfait
Mixed sashimi over pink sushi rice with marinated vegetables

EX-Sushi Desserts
Yuzu sushi over Rice Krispies dessert and sake cheesecake

Vegetarian menu is available on request.

I envisioned the creative plating, of course, but great food? Not really. Perhaps I was influenced by the negative reviews I read about Kawaii Monster Café, but I wasn’t expecting this meal to be as delicious as it was. I should’ve known better; private chef Abe Hiroki of EN Japanese Brasserie fame consulted with Masuda and his team of chefs to create dishes that are as flavorful as they are aesthetically pleasing. If I were to name one week link in the six courses, it would have to be the tempura. Although good, it had no Wow factor. My favorite is the chirashi parfait in both presentation and taste.

Beverages

Beer (including Japanese beers such as Echigo, Kizakura Kyoto, and Orion), wine, and sake (including Brooklyn Kura’s #14) are available from the bar, but the cocktails are the stars of the beverage show. I had the Lychee Berry Smash and the Matcha Tea-tini, which is a production in and of itself.

Sushidelic is indeed the immersive kawaii experience that Masuda wants us all to have. The art, style, and atmosphere are something you won’t see anywhere else. And at $85, it’s at a price point that can’t be beat in New York City.

So, the big question is this: Is Sushidelic sustainable? Will locals tire of the show and move on to the next big thing? Masuda’s fans in the Kawaii Community were out in full force at Sushidelic’s opening party, some traveling from as far away as Pennsylvania, but will they be regular customers? No one knows if the novelty of this novel concept will fade. For now, Masuda’s Kawaii Monster Café is all grown up and starting to live its best life in SoHo.

Details

Sushidelic is located at 177 Lafayette Street (between Broome and Grand Streets in SoHo)

Hours: Dinner Tuesday through Saturday from 5:00 p.m. until 11:00 p.m. (last seating 10:00 p.m.)
Make reservations through Resy but act fast because all seats are booked through July 18 (at time of publishing).

Check out their website and follow them on Instagram.

For All Things Japanese in New York City, become a member of JapanCulture-NYC.com
and follow @JapanCultureNYC on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook!

NowHere Gallery’s Final Exhibition of the Year

Maiko Kikuchi: Pink Bunny