The expression on the blonde woman's face is hard to describe as she looks back at the man's calling out. White speech balloons and light English letters. The high-impact mural, which looks like a scene out of an American comic book, is sometimes a meeting place for young people.
When most people think of Osaka, they may imagine giant 3D signs such as the Kani Doraku and Glico billboards. Have you ever heard of public art that turns this so-called image of Osaka on its head? This time we will be introducing 《OSAKA VICKI》, a work by Roy Lichtenstein, a leading pop art painter, located near America-mura(American Village), a trend-setting area for young people. The focus is not only on the appeal of the work, but also on Roy Lichtenstein and the art spots in the neighborhood.
Roy Lichtenstein 《OSAKA VICKI》 blends in with the Shinsaibashi area.
《OSAKA VICKI 》by Roy Lichtenstein is located a short walk from Yotsubashi Station on the Osaka Metro Yotsubashi Line. It is also easily accessible from Shinsaibashi Station on the Midosuji and Nagahori Tsurumi-ryokuchi lines, where you can walk towards Yotsubashi and take exit 17 South to the ground level, where you can just look up at the mural.
The place where the mural is located is the entrance to the America-mura(American Village). The area is filled with unique shops selling second-hand clothes, sundries, records and other items. 《OSAKA VICKI》blends naturally into the atmosphere of a street culture-filled area. But why in the world would a master's work be located in such a place?
How the original artwork "OSAKA VICKI", created for Osaka, was born.
In fact, this building is not a commercial or business building. It houses the cooling tower (air-conditioning system) of Crysta Nagahori, a shopping mall that extends all the way to the basement. The background to the appearance of the mural in this location is deeply connected to the opening of Crysta Nagahori in 1997.
At the time, the environmental designers who were producing the whole area of Crysta Nagahori thought that something symbolic of America was needed for this location at the entrance to America-mura(American Village). So they traveled to a gallery in New York to meet Lichtenstein himself before his death and, after negotiations, were able to obtain his consent to create the painting. 《OSAKA VICKI》is an original design based on the VICKI series produced in 1964, but with additions made for Osaka, and can only be seen here in the world.
One of Lichtenstein's largest murals, over 37 m long.
When it was finally completed in 1998, the mural, which depicted a blonde woman in a comic style, attracted a lot of attention.
A close-up of the woman's face, clearly drawn with thick lines. Her left eyebrow is slightly raised and she has a complex expression of surprise or confusion. The background and the vivid red painted on the woman's lips are also striking.
The white speech balloon reads "VICKI! I...I THOUGHT I HEARD YOUR VOICE!". As in the other works, the artist's intention in this one frame is not told. As well as savoring the picture, it is an interesting piece to ponder the situation and the words.
You may have noticed that not only the woman and the man and the speech balloon, but also the upper and lower parts of the work, also form part of this 《OSAKA VICKI》. The blinds and frames above the speech bubble and the dots at the bottom are also long and vertical works that Lichtenstein added to match the walls of the building. The entire work measures approximately 37 meters long by 15 meters wide, making it one of Lichtenstein's largest works of art.
In the 1990s, the appearance of highly affinitive pop art in the America-mura(American Village), which was at the heart of American casual culture, further heightened the sense of unity in the area. This is a spot where you should definitely visit to see the actual existence and scale of the artwork.
About Pop art master Roy Lichtenstein.
Roy Lichtenstein, the artist behind 《OSAKA VICKI》, was a painter from New York, USA (1923-1997), known as a master of Pop Art alongside Andy Warhol.
He studied at Ohio State University's Art Department and served in the military for about three years before earning his Ph.D. in art in 1949. During his studies, Lichtenstein learned to represent the world of three-dimensional space in a two-dimensional, flat plane. This would become the basis of his painting style for the rest of his life.
After graduation, Lichtenstein continued to create artwork while earning a living as a draftsman while teaching at Ohio State University. At the time, he painted primarily abstract paintings. After marriage, the birth of his children, and a job transfer, while working at Rutgers University in New Jersey, he met Alan Kaprow, the founder of "Happening," and began to develop an interest in Pop Art.
source ：WIKIART
The change in his style was brought about by an event. When he drew a cartoon of Mickey Mouse for his young son, he realized that it had a different and greater impact than a typical painting. Thus was born his first pop painting, 《Look Mickey》.
Lichtenstein's new style was a fresh shock to the art world. Although some reviewers were scathing, calling Lichtenstein's work "vulgar," many others predicted that Lichtenstein would go on to become one of the most famous artists in art history. It is well known that Andy Warhol, who was searching for his own style at the time, gave up cartoon expression in the face of Lichtenstein's highly accomplished work.
Lichtenstein, with the reputation of those around him at his side, devoted himself to his own creation in an attempt to own the newly emergent style. He produced a number of works that evoked American popular culture, mass production, and mass consumption, using subjects depicted in the mass media. His representative works include "Wham," "Drowning girl," "Girl with hair ribbon," and "M-Maybe".
source：WIKIART
source：WIKIART
source：WIKIART
Along with the thick outlines, what we would like to focus on is the use of dots, as seen in "OSAKA VICKI," which resembles printed materials. Generally, in color or grayscale printing, dots of a limited number of colors (cyan, magenta, yellow, black, etc.) are superimposed in a mesh-like pattern to express a visual image. Lichtenstein incorporated this technique into his paintings, taking into account the size and density of the bended dots (the dots of a printing mesh). Four main colors are used: red, blue, yellow, and black.
He emphasized that the printed materials that the public normally sees are merely images composed of fine dots, just as the subjects posing in front of the mass media are.
In 1995, Lichtenstein was awarded the Kyoto Prize, an international award that attracts worldwide attention, for "making art familiar through Pop Art and for his many works that question the nature of art and its role in society.
《OSAKA VICKI》was completed in 1998, the year after Lichtenstein's death. This work will continue to shine brightly as a true expression of Lichtenstein's style.
Recommendations around 《OSAKA VICKI》 by Roy Lichtenstein
There are many places to enjoy art in the area around 《OSAKA VICKI. When you visit, take your time to walk around and experience the charm of Shinsaibashi.
Shopping and art. “Crysta Nagahori”, one of the largest underground shopping malls in Japan
Crysta Nagahori is one of the leading underground shopping malls in Japan, connecting east and west between "Nagahoribashi", "Shinsaibashi" and "Yotsubashi" stations of Osaka Metro for a total length of 730m. It has about 100 tenants offering fashion, sundries, gourmet foods, and various services. With a total floor space of approximately 81,800 m2, it is one of the largest stand-alone underground shopping malls in Japan.
The area is also home to a variety of artworks, making it a great place to enjoy shopping while appreciating art. Also, the gallery space is a place where you can feel art everywhere.
A symbol of Americamura, KURODA Seitaro《Peace on Earth》
America-mura(American Village) is located on the west side of Midosuji, the main street running north-south in Osaka. The mural commonly known as "Peace on Earth" by KURODA Seitaro (1939-) is the symbol of the America-mura. This artwork was painted in 1983 by KURODA, an artist from Dotonbori who is active mainly in illustration, mural painting, and live painting. It is painted on the wall of the Dotonbori Substation of Kansai Electric Power Company, a building located in the center of America-mura.
Luxury hotel with innovative design and playful space
W Osaka
W Osaka is a luxury hotel based on the concept of a "playground for adults. Located facing Midosuji Avenue, the hotel offers a creative design and a full experience of Osaka's vibrant playful spirit.
The exterior design of the jet-black skyscraper, which rises like a single rock, was created by ANDO Tadao, a world-renowned architect from Osaka. The interior design is by the Netherlands-based company Concrete. At the entrance, the Arrival Tunnel, with its 3,000 origami-inspired plate lights that change color with the seasons, invites visitors into an extraordinary world.
A day to experience Shinsaibashi's art culture through your eyes.
After seeing unique public art in Shinsaibashi, such as "OSAKA VICKI" and "Peace on Earth," enjoy shopping in Americamura and Midosuji, and take a rest at a luxury hotel where you can experience art firsthand in the evening. Such a holiday is also attractive. The combination of huge public art, conceptual space, and the atmosphere of Shinsaibashi may provide you with fresh inspiration.
Basic Information
Roy Lichtenstein《OSAKA VICKI》
Address | 1-14 Nishi-Shinsaibashi, Chuo-ku, Osaka |
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Crysta Nagahori
Address | 8, Nagahori Underground Mall, Minami-Senba 4-chome, Chuo-ku, Osaka |
Phone number | 06-6282-2100 |
Opening hours |
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Closed | December 31, January 1, and the third Monday in February |
Note | Parking available. Some stores have different opening hours. |
Web site |
Seitaro Kuroda《Piece on Earth》
Address | Mural on the north side of Kansai Electric Power Company's Dotonbori Substation, 2-1-22 Nishi-Shinsaibashi, Chuo-ku, Osaka |
Note | 3 minutes walk from "Shinsaibashi" station on Osaka Metro Midosuji Line and Nagahori Tsurumi-ryokuchi Line |
W Osaka
Address | 4-1-3 Minami-Senba, Chuo-ku, Osaka City |
Phone number | 06-6484-5355 |
Access | 3 minutes walk from "Shinsaibashi" station on Osaka Metro Midosuji Line and Nagahori Tsurumi-ryokuchi Line |
Web site |