Kawaii Pop, the Cult of Cute, Contemporary Art

Japan's kawaii culture entered into the global art world lexicon in the early 2000s, but it is an aesthetic that has evolved over decades from its roots as a subculture aesthetic to a global phenomenon. The importance of kawaii is evidenced through the works of pioneering artists such as Yoshitomo Nara and Takashi Murakami, who create nostalgic reimaginings of childhood fantasy or pop-infused satires of today’s hyper-consumer realm.

5 Artists Inspired By Kawaii, The Cult of Cute, From Yoshitomo Nara to Jerkface, we consider the contemporary artists channelling the Japanese cultural phenomenon of kawaii and what it means.

Kawaii Pop, the Cult of Cute, Contemporary Art

Little Boy: The Arts of Japan's by Murakami, Takashi

Japanese Artist Izumi Kato's Enigmatic Finger Paintings Have Earned a Cult Following for Their 'Disturbingly Mutant' Imagery

What is kawaii – and why did the world fall for the 'cult of cute'?

Rising Artist Emily Yong Beck's Ceramics Tackle the Power of Cuteness

Cthulhu Cat Cute Kawaii Cathulhu Kitten Fun Skull - Creature - Sticker

The rise of Kawaii: why 'Cute Art' is capturing the attention of collectors and investors

Kawaii Pop, the Cult of Cute, Contemporary Art

Tokyo Clash Hardback Book Japanese Pop Culture Toys