From Japanese-born New York artist Naruki Kukita, an art-world three-way: hunky men (some from gay porn) displaying their bodies collide with kawaii-cute manga figures to pose in canonical settings of Western high art (especially on mythological and religious themes). I came across this fine example of Kukitart on Pinterest yesterday:
(#1) John the Baptist (2023), amidst the Disneyoid creatures of the forest
From the It’s Nice That (“Inspiring Creativity”) site, “Naruki Kukita mixes classical painting with manga as hope for young people to “create whatever [they] want”: The highly unique paintings of the New York-based artist are incredible visions of the past, present and future of fine art” (a puffery-packed brief interview) by Joey Levenson on 2/23/23:
If you’re a fan of both manga and beautiful men, then New York-based Naruki Kukita is going to be your new favourite artist. In combining the niche intersection of Western romantic painting, manga kawaii art and still-life male pulchritude, Naruki’s work has created waves across social media.
Two more examples of Kukita’s mix of raw carnality, pop-cultural cuteness, and thematic high seriousness:
(#2) Virtual Medusa (2017): Perseus with the beheaded Medusa
(#3) Virtual Sebastien (2017), impaled but impassive
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