MONONOKE 6
Showcase exhibition of six Japanese artists curated by Johnny Akihito Noda (WC Johnny)
ARTISTS: HAMADARAKA (Eru Arizono, Emu Arizono) / Headlock Studio / Johnny Akihito Noda / oki-chu. / Sasaku Kusuriyubi / DF.SQEZ
Outré Gallery Fitzroy
18 Jul - 15 Aug 2025
Opening Night
6–8pm on Friday, 18 Jul 2025
319 Smith Street, Fitzroy
Drinks provided by Range Life Wine & Bodriggy Brewing Co.
Click HERE to view the show in full.
Johnny Akihito Noda
Johnny Akihito Noda (also known as WC Johnny) was born in Nagoya, Japan. On a trip to Los Angeles at the age of 20 he was struck by a monster painting he saw in a gallery there and subsequently began his own experimental art practice. Noda steadily produces a stream of freaky characters who are just too charming to dislike. These characters not only take the form of paintings but can be seen in prints, vinyl toys, and more.
DF.SQEZ
DF.SQEZ is a graffiti writer and painter based in Nagoya, Japan. He expresses imagery born from the rush and rebellion of late-night graffiti bombing. The artist’s practice goes beyond street art alone, creating both painted and sculptural works that can be seen in various solo and group exhibitions, album art, clothing, and zines to name a few.
oki-chu.
Born in 1979, artist and painter oki-chu. works in an art style known as automatism, in which the subconscious guides the artist's creative process. It begins in pencil, letting himself draw lines without thinking, and then finds forms and motifs in the work that he brings out in pen, and finally, connects on the colourful and humorous brain world. oki-chu. also runs mograg gallery with co-founder Motoko Ohta in Tokyo. Teaming up with interesting artists, they represent “Japanese lowbrow art” to highlight artists on the cutting edge of Japanese culture.
Hamadaraka
Twin sisters Eru and Emu Arizono make up the duo of painters known as Hamadaraka. The pair use various tools and mediums to create their works, based on the themes "a paradise created by mixing impossible creatures and time" and “a world that exists between this world and utopia.”
Headlock Studio
Founded in 2001 as a design studio that produces designs, original toys, and original apparel. Based in Nagoya, they create original toys featuring numerous artists, designers, and musicians. They are active in America, Europe, Asia, and other parts of the world, and have successfully completed numerous projects with fashion magazines, manufacturers, and shops in each country.
Sasaku Kusuriyubi
Sasaku Kusuriyubi is a painter based in Wakayama Prefecture, Japan. The artist’s works are surreal and otherworldly, creating “picture diaries” with motifs of original landscapes and dear neighbours in a range of mediums from painting to sculpture to digital and more.