Takanao Kaneko1977-

Takanao Kaneko depicts, for his works, characters in unique style integrating Manga and graffiti. In recent years, he perfectionate his new artistic style introducing typography or geometrical motifs, and collage of original comics in layered structure.

As the Internet spreads throughout society and social networking sites permeate our daily lives, we are forced to deal not only with its convenience, but also with certain harmful effects such as slander, hate, extreme justice and conspiracy theories that arise from anonymity. While biased information and messages can be ignored as 'noise', Kaneko has a strong interest in the excessive noise that cannot be processed by humans.

The monster characters, who are depicted in various forms, represent the duality of human nature that arises when exposed to such noise. Although the monsters are depicted with sharp fangs and bared eyeballs in a frightening manner, they are strikingly self-destructive and funny in some way. The film addresses the complexities of people who use different characters in real life and the online world, and the way in which human nature is transformed in social networking sites, such as the way in which biased ideas are strengthened as people receive vast amounts of information, and overlaps them with the characters who are becoming monsters.

Although the themes dealt with are cynical, such as the human side losing control of the system due to the divergence between the social system and the speed of human progress, and a future vision of human society that will abandon individuality due to the increasing sharing of the senses, there is no strong social criticism felt from the unique humorous expressions. Rather, through the somewhat cute and lovable characters, we can feel a strong curiosity about and deep affinity with human society.

（Kutsuna Miwa / Contemporary Art Historian, artist, curator ©︎kutsuna miwa)

Biography

1977 Born in Saitama, Japan
Graduate Musashino Art University Junior College of Art and Design

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Solo Exhibitions

2022 Takanao Kaneko : Fragment / Art Front Gallery (Tokyo)
2021 Takanao Kaneko : Disperse / Hankyu MEN’ｓTOKYO (Tokyo)
2016　Noise Degradation / THE blank GALLERY（Tokyo）

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Group Exhibitions

2022 NIJIGEN-HA Exhibition Daikanyama Hillside Forum (Tokyo)
2022 Art Fair Tokyo / Tokyo International Forum (Tokyo)
2018 Art Asia 2018 (Kintex1 / Goyang, Korea)
2017 Art Central 2017 （Hong Kong）
2016 ISETAN Shinjuku Art Gallery（Tokyo）
Giant Mango Selection vol.2 / Wrong Gallery Taipei（Taipei, Taiwan）
2015　Theme Time Art Show～Episode1 / Gallery Fu（Kanagawa）
2014　CRITICAL MASS Vol.3 / THE blank GALLERY（Tokyo）
ACT+ISM Art Complex Center（Tokyo）
3331 Chiyoda Arts Festival 2014 / 3331 Arts Chiyoda（Tokyo）

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