Photographs from a small group of islands
Due to its very nature, urban art isn’t destined to last. Demolition, wilful damage or simply time all too often eradicate what once entertained. A few of my favourite pieces in Tokyo were this tiny Audrey Hepburn stencil, and these kimono and seppuku inspired works. All of which are now sadly long gone.
That said, the odd one or two do manage to survive. Astro Boy continues to blast off in Shibuya, and this huge, Hello Kitty-related street painting remains intact to resolutely stare back.
Sanrio is perhaps Japan’s largest purveyor of ‘cuteness’, with its Hello Kitty character undoubtedly one of the most identifiable brands there is, both domestically and abroad. A design that as such adorns a truly mind boggling array of merchandise and goods. All of it snapped up by an equally diverse, but similarly devoted, public.
So with this in mind, it’s especially nice to see it subtly subverted — the famously mouthless cat giving a voice of sorts to the millions who don’t have one.
Seeing a cat carrying case left by the road was surprising in itself. Even more unexpected, however, was finding a phenomenally famous feline inside it.
And despite its lack of features, it somehow managed to look suitably forlorn.
Prior to becoming a way-before-Bono benefactor, musician Bob Geldof once famously said that, “Most people get into bands for three very simple rock and roll reasons: to get laid, to get fame, and to get rich.â€
A statement that may or indeed may not be true, although at least in relation to the former, even a man with the most meagre amount of musical ability can now pluck himself an absolute plethora of pussy.
Provided of course he’s willing to purchase it.
With countless Japanese shops crammed with more Hello Kitty crap than anyone could (surely) ever hope to purchase,
or indeed pay for,
it arguably makes perfect sense then that among the belts and even bog roll, is a bank.
However, this particular pussy repository apparently has very tight restrictions; with well-timed withdrawals the preferred procedure, and deposits almost definitely deemed out of the question.
In a bid to maintain its position as the premier purveyor of featureless feline fashion, Hello Kitty manufacturer, Sanrio, appears to have set itself the goal of emblazoning everything known to man with its all-conquering cat.
A practice that admittedly has worked wonders up to now, although there have been some far from reassuring rumbles of late, with the likes of the product pictured below causing some to suggest that the company has begun to poke its fingers into provinces that are patently inappropriate.
This previously unmentionable matter resulting in the once untouchable Japanese giant suffering some merciless muckraking, and even becoming the butt of some business-related jokes.
Plus, due to the currently far from stable financial climate, some analysts have gone so far as to suggest that the corporation could conceivably go bottoms up, although privately this has been poo-pooed by many.