Hikaru Matsubara’s graphic designs elicit a postmodern vibe with their uncomplicated black outlines and minimalistic pops of color, delivering maximum refined visual effect. Born and currently residing in Kobe, with a degree in Spanish, Matsubara is a self-proclaimed fisherman. His bold designs use oranges, blues, blacks, and greens to create visual appeal against black lines in a graphic style that is somewhat reminiscent of Dick Bruna and includes people, skulls, books, plants, and more.

Hikaru Matsubara © Unknown Asia Executive Committee

Alongside the artists who received the SHIFT vote, many unique and talented artists were on hand to talk about their art. My favorite artist was Toshikazu Hori, whose blend of illustration and nihonga rendered in India ink and washi paper created fantastical imagined worlds. His works are inspired by the ancient Japanese thought that all things have lives, so it is easy to envision how the creatures and fairies live out their lives on ink-painted mountains that are transforming into other beings.

Toshikazu Hori © Unknown Asia Executive Committee

Unknown Asia’s 2018 Grand Prix was awarded to Hanako Kimura, a Kyoto-born, Osaka-based photographer whose work incorporates neon tubing to emphasise the bold angles of photographed buildings. Her aim is to touch upon the gray zones that lie between “existing” and “not existing” that occurs in photography when an image is captured.

Hanako Kimura © Unknown Asia Executive Committee

Unknown Asia’s curated art booths transformed Herbis Hall into a festival-like event with many artists present to talk about their art, influences, and projects. This collaboration of up-and-coming artists from all over Asia creating art in every imagined medium, from ink to hologram, form a collaborative space unified by art to harmonize Asian countries and energize the art world for one weekend and beyond.

Unknown Asia 2018
Date: September 15th and 16th, 2018
Opening Hours: 10:00 – 20:00 (Until 17:00 on 16th)
VIP Preview & Reception Party: September 14th, 15:00 – 20:30 (by invitation only)
Place: Herbis Hall, Osaka
Address: Herbis Osaka, 2-5-24, Umeda, Kita-ku, Osaka
Tel: +81 (0)6 6354 8029
https://unknownasia.net