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.

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

Kawaii - Wikipedia

Tokyo Travel Sketchbook: Kawaii Culture, Wabi Sabi Design, Female Samurais and Other Obsessions (Paperback)

Designer Pop Art Hypebeast

Kawaii - Wikipedia

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

Kawaii Pop, the Cult of Cute, Contemporary Art

The Cult of Cute: The Rise of Grotesque-Cute [Guro-Kawaii] as an Aesthetic and Affective Category, School of English, Film, Theatre, Media and Communication, and Art History