Howling at the Rune

Related Content

• Yumiko Kayukawa at the Shooting Gallery
  August 1, 2007
• This Week's Day-by-Day Picks
  December 31, 2003

More About

• Yumiko Kayukawa
• Arts, Entertainment, and Media
• Visual Arts

Like this Story?

Sign up for the Events Newsletter: What's happening in town? From underground club nights to the biggest outdoor festivals, our top picks for the week's best events will always keep you in on the action.

Privacy Policy Cancel Continue

Late at night, we’ve all been there: You’re serving up sushi on the waxed chest of a young hottie when three wolves suddenly decide to style your hair. Fortunately, a flood of strawberry yogurt turns into a bloom of plastic bathtub daisies, saving you from a possibly embarrassing social situation. Don’t look now, but artist Yumiko Kayukawa has been tapping your hallucinations. Kayukawa, who grew up in a small town in Hokkaido, Japan, and now lives in Seattle, paints candy-colored acrylic paintings that synthesize cultural symbols from the East and West. She features pursed-lipped girls who scream manga, bunnies that coo kawaii, and fashion references combining indie rock with geisha glam. Throw in a little When Animals Attack, some bondage, and a menstruation reference or two (in “Only Women Bleed,” a white-clad girl leaves a trail of bloody footsteps and red calligraphy), and there’s just enough darkness in Kayukawa’s work to throw a sharp shadow. The artist has found sweet success in America; her artwork nearly always sells out before a show closes, so the opening of "Japanese Wolf" promises to be a scene. People love to see their dreams illustrated.
Aug. 16-Sept. 6, 2008