INKBRUSHMOOD

Butterfly Minds Not by Rosemarie Bloom

Did you know? Van Gogh was an otaku! Ukiyo-e (and Japanese culture in general--man was an avid reader of classics like "Madame Chrysanthemum") strongly influenced his painting style.

Not only did he collect ukiyo-e BUT he actually replicated a few on canvas as part of more serious study.

Hi Everyone! Thank you so much for keeping up with IKB. In the spirit of variety, we've kickstarted a newsletter of cool finds from Japan.

This week, we talked about cool art, cultural happenings, and interesting recipes. Check it out!

01 | Hagihara Takuya on Tumblr

Untitled by Hagihara Takuya. Source: hagiharatakuya.tumblr.com

One of my favorite design blogs, tbh! Hagihara Takuya's sick liminal abstracts are at the top of the list in terms of digital abstract art. Check out their tumblr @hagiharatakuya. They also have a typography blog which rules! @hagiharatakuyatypo.

02 | Fukusaki: Yōkai Town

A cryogenically-preserved yōkai welcoming a visitor to Fukusaki. Source: franklinthewoman

This cultural find comes straight from franklinthewoman's Instagram. Did you know? A town in Japan has crowned itself "The Spookiest Town in Japan" thanks to being the birthplace of Kunio Yanagita, the father of Japanese folkore.

To celebrate their enthralling place in Japanese horror, Fukusaki has set loose its yōkai (demons or creatures) on the Japanese populace for some unforgettable sight-seeing!

03 | Rice Cake Recipe

Rice cakes! Are made! With actual! Rice! Source: foodiefrontier0

This rice cake recipe from foodiefrontier0 boggles the mind. In my mind, rice cakes were like a crunchy rice krispy-like disk that I thought I tried once. Well, this recipe actually makes a chewy rice cake with actual rice (lol I know it should be common sense, but...)

Seems like one of those things one should try once. Check it out ->

Bonus:

Wakabayashi Ayame, Apple Installation. Source: @kaijuno

For her graduation exhibition, designer Wakabayashi AYAME created an installation of apple sculptures rendered in the style of a renowned artist. Doesn't Hokusai's apple seem plucked straight out of an ukiyo-e? According to artsology, the goal was to "embody the essence of each artist’s unique approach to form, color, and texture". Honestly, she aced this assignment. I'm sure there are Mondrian apples somewhere in Central Park.

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... and that's it for this week! If you liked the post or have something to share, make sure to let us know! If you have any cool finds that you'd like to share, send a message to @inkbrushmood.