Naoto Hattori studied graphic design in his native Japan, and illustration here in the U.S. at the School of Visual Arts in NY.
Hattori’s work carries some elements common to pop surrealism conventions, and some in common with visionary art, but I most enjoy those pieces in which he explore his own themes — in particular faces and heads of people and animals that open into suggestions of manifested imagination or dreams. In many of these, the artist incorporates design-like curvilinear patterns rendered as three dimensional layers.
Hattori works primarily in acrylic on board, and much of his work is at a small scale. The images above, top and bottom, are roughly 8 x 10 inches (20 x 25 cm). The painting shown above, second from bottom, is approximately 5 x 7 inches (13 x 18 cm). Some miniatures are as small as 3 x 4 inches
The galleries on his website include extensive archives, accessed from links in the left-hand column. Hattori’s blog provides additional images and context.
See also my previous post on Naoto Hattori (2008).
[Via beinArt Collective]
