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SONAR 2010

NANOOK

The NANOOK's world of dark and sweet imagination.

SHIFT 2010 Calendar was released on October 20th! The Shift cover for November was designed by a Tokyo-based artist NANOOK whose work was selected for the calendar visuals as one of 12 artists. Let's wander into the labyrinth of NANOOK world, stuffed full of his imagination to explore more about his mysterious activities and drawing works represented with his unique comments.

"Dream" - Selected work for SHIFT 2010 Calendar.

Please introduce yourself.

NANOOK. Born in Tokyo, raised with Pokemon. Most of my friends seem to like to draw...
My name NANOOK originated from the name of a dog which my father saw in Alaska 30 years ago. Also, it's the name of my dog who died 3 years ago. Now I do creative works like drawings under the name NANOOK.
Just quit a company called Mik Planning the other day, I spend my time watching YouTube at my parents home. Some people said I am a "victim of Yutori education".

Grade-B sunshine-falling-through-foliage drawing book "ANAL DRAGON"

What have you done for creative activities so far?

I didn't really "work", but I did work on a volunteer activity to build a church in a village called Namsom Thailand. I was totally impressed that a man in the village sent over my lost eyeglasses a month later my return.
As for creative activities, I have been working on my lifework, drawing to make a zine. Also, I participated in "ANAL DRAGON", the grade-B sunshine-falling-through-foliage drawing book that has just been released the other day.

Portrait (childhood) taken in Arizona, wearing leggings, a deer T, a pochette, same sunglasses as Terminator wears.

Please tell us how you started to do drawings.

It might have originated when I was into drawing labyrinths as a kindergarten kid.
As a elementary school kid, I was fat, always wearing a pair of leggings like a goalkeeper. Playing with a survival game and Pokemon, I have launched "Shei÷2", a book of collected mangas we made on our own.

In my junior and senior high school days, we made many new things to play, as I went to a boarding school located in a deep mountain where you cannot watch TV. At that time, I did many things like making a secret hide-out in the woods, getting into shell mounds to collect earthenware and animal bones, visiting into the deeper mountain to get lost by myself with plenty of food, making something like plastic bombs by breaking down firecrackers, and so on. Just to mention, I did become a student council president.

I spent interesting days in the dormitory, where a Pringles (Large) was sold at 1000 yen as we had no free time to eat snacks and where we needed to listen to music in secret as we are prohibited music (except for hymns). As I went to a Christian school, I studied a lot about eschaton and the devil. One day I pretended to be possessed by devil (act to vomit repeatedly with shaking my body), then the teacher Mr. Miyagi prayed religiously (exorcism). I feel sorry for him that I was bad.

*Mr. Miyagi who has a strong body has seen a student who was possessed by the devil for real. He says that the student started to have super strength, could not be held by 5 men and went on a rampage.

In those days, I spent my time to drawing UMA, singing hymns, getting beaten by Senpai (seniors), baking cheese on an iron, crying and smiling.

Please introduce some of your drawings.

JUNBITAISO
Saying "I got this bullet belt at ZOZOTOWN", he warms up wearing his favorite AxPxCx pajama. This guy would be a lead character for 200000V tonight!

T.S.G.(Tokyo Skull Girl)
She is a first year student at Bunka Fashion College, just moved to Tokyo. "I wear my favorite clothes despite what others think." She is cool as she says so, but give me a break wearing a skull!

DEAD SWEET
The combination of "drilled-hand devil monster" and "parfait" is the combination which sweet-loving teenage girls across the country have been waiting for. Needless to say, it has been added to the new menu at Saizeriya.

POP WAR!
Visited Takeshita Street in Harajuku for their shcool trip last autumn, the teenage boys turned into rabbles armed with "beam softcream saber" and "pot cover". This incident is still a fresh memory. The reason for the crime was "because Tokyo is like a festival."

RISE ABOVE
This guy is nice and clever. More than that, cute because it's fluffy. I don't care if it has artificial arms and doesn't have legs. Having a close relationship with Design Tshirts Store graniph, it is good at business. Its distinctive sense of negotiation is amazing.

DENGEKI KAIGO
Dear Grandmother, For your present this year, I chose a nursing care machine developed by NASA. It comes with a fork and a spoon, so you can enjoy meals without any trouble. Please use it with caution. From your grandson.

Battles in the North
Black metal immortal finger doll recommended by the Ministry of Education. The secret of the popularity is its Scandinavian-like design.

What drove you to submit your works for the SHIFT Calendar Competition? Your selected work has a story to it. Please tell us about ideas you have in your drawings.

When I was wandering around after quitting my job, I found the competition banner. I worked on it feverishly.
As for stories, I sometimes have it and sometimes not. It is interesting to think about delusional stories which I put on works afterwards.

You use pens and color pencils for your drawings. What do you concern for working on drawings?

I often use Gel Ink Pens by Sakura Color Products, especially Gelly Roll Monnlight Color series, which is a waterborne gel ink pen that has opaque fluorescent colors featuring "vivid", "sharp" and "clear". Anyone can enjoy colorful-drawing with this pen. I recommend the fluorescent red.
My concern for drawing, if I have any, would be to get delusions. A delusion I have in mind is what happens if the violinist Ryu Goto is awaken to hardcore.

Portrait (present) at commune Shimokitazawa.

What do you think you get inspired by on your works?

I create works with inspirations which I got from punk, metal and hardcore, putting them through filters I learned on CoroCoro Comic and Comic Bom Bom.
Themes for these years are "POP WAR!" and "KIDS WAR!". I want to express a world of the pajama hardcore aka pajacore.
But I want to draw what I want to draw and what I think is interesting, without thinking to much.

Please tell us your favorite artists, musicians, art, design, book, etc.

My favorite artists are Raymond Pettibon and Tomi Ungerer. Petttibon is really cool for both his powerful works and his rough character. I love Tomi Ungerer's use of colors and his cynical view points.

My favorite book is National Geographic since my teenage years. The movie is "Whisper of the Heart", and the blog is by Chokkaku Shibuya.

As for music, the sound and logo by Nuclear Assault is the best. I also respect Euronymous and Schadaraparr. For now I like to watch "Dirty Projectors".

Please tell us about "A Delicate Relation You & Me.".

A Delicate Relation You & Me. is a crew consisting of NANOOK, kanamolee, Taro Asameshi and YAMADA. As a crew, we have worked on making zine in the past, but our current theme is "to each work solo".
Asameshi started to DJ saying "I think I can do it now. Please support me!". Kanamolee started to stalk his ex-girlfriend. YAMADA is still sleeping. Sure, each member is like solo but..

Magnitude Takahashi at recording in the dark.

Please tell us about your activity as a seismologist "Magnitude Takahashi".

Magnitude Takahashi is a virtual image, or more like it might be a new character I created.
He speaks out his knowledge which was gained through poring over National Geographic and Wikipedia, as if he acquired them on his own research.
Also, it's not known that I made music entitled "Ichitasuichi" and "Taisho Democracy" under the name of Magnitude Takahashi.
The next one would be a hardcore rap stating with the lyric "Magnitude, masani chudoku".

Please discuss about the SHIFT cover for this month?

It's Rei Harakami's pet. The pet, Rainbow-colored Namahage Zombi likes Rei Harakami 's music and changes its body colors to blend with the music. It always stays in the chest pocket during his live shows.
Currently the population is assumed to be more than 25 million in the US. It eats garden trees, devastating woods and growing more than one meter long, it often causes traffic accidents.

What work would you like to do in the future?

Job hunting.
As the qualification period for my unemployment insurance benefits will expire soon, I need to go find a way to get paid.
As for my creative activity, I will be very honored to collaborate for SLAYER's artworks. It's only a dream though. Please contact me if people who are involved in SLAYER read this. I will design T shirts!!
Also, I want to do something with Dentsu. Anything, but a big project (laughs).
But for this year, I want to make new year cards for those who have helped me out. Something like using like invisible ink with lemon. Looking forward to it.

NANOOK
http://www.myspace.com/nanook1984
nanook1984@gmail.com

Text: Mariko Takei

Have a look at "Shift city guide tokyo" for your information guide of tokyo.

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