HELLO SPRING, KAWAII DREAM (Hello Kitty-inspired art)
Created as an ode to the stunning Hoshinoya Onsen, Matsuo Bashu's spring haiku poetry and the 2006 theatrical version of SAKURAN, "Hello Spring, Kawaii Dream" (originally titled "Hello Onsen, Kitty Garden", 2015) is another well-loved Hello Kitty-inspired artwork by Sean Danconia, created as a semi-sequel to "Memoirs of a Kitty". The original Mixed-Media canvas painting (pictured here) was created in a combination of acrylic paint, photography, illustration, graphic design, archival ink, etc. It had its premiere at Blooming Art Gallery, situated in Japanese Village Plaza.
(above and below) The Mixed-Media Original of Hello Onsen, Kitty Garden (2015) by Sean Danconia. Photographed at the Japanese Garden (Tokyo Villa) in Little Tokyo, Los Angeles.
The art features a Hello Kitty-inspired Maiko (geisha-in-training) with Pocky x Sakura-infused Oiran Hair ornaments + Geta, accompanied by a Japanified gathering of Daruma, Kokeshi, and various gotochi-kitty-ish tomodachi (including nods to Japan's live-action monster flicks), with some SupaPop friends (like Jozilla and SupaPup) in the background, playing in our own (ukiyo-e) great wave of Kanagawa. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XgdNUUMiMP8 Original Trailer for Sakuran with a fantastic score by Shiina Ringo Some of the inspirations for the art come from Mika Ninagawa's film—Sakuran—and the original manga by Moyoco Anno, on which it's based.
Sean first saw an image of Sakuran (above) on a research trip to Tokyo in 2008.
The new "Kawaii-Cut" version of the art, now titled "Hello Spring, Kawaii Dream" features a beautiful Haiku by Matsuo Basho located at the bottom right hand corner along with honorable mention of the onsen and resort in Kyoto which inspired the piece. There are other subtle improvements but nothing that changes the original structure, coloration and energy of the first edition, which used various line thicknesses, photographic perspective and pastel hues in order to create a vintage 60's Show-era feel to the art. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_saO7cbpxzs Please enjoy this short feature on the stunning Hoshinoya Onsen Read the full article