Ryuji Kamiyama, a silkscreen artist, painter, and illustrator active in a wide range of fields, will be holding his solo exhibition "faceless" at MONKEY cafe & gallery in Daikanyama from February 15th to 27th.


Kamiyama is an artist who has shifted his focus from the graphic design industry to the fashion world and live painting. Since the early 1990s, he has been active in Ura-Harajuku for 10 years as part of the brand FAMOUZ, which focused on hand-printed T-shirts, remade vintage clothing, and handmade works. After that, he began working in art, focusing on live painting in locations ranging from the streets to public spaces. Starting with his first solo exhibition in Nakameguro, Tokyo in 2003, he has held exhibitions in San Francisco, Los Angeles, Scandinavia, and elsewhere. He has left behind murals and silkscreen works both in Japan and abroad. In recent years, under the name BlANKS, he has been working on projects to recycle B-grade ceramics and glass, as well as painting corporate showrooms, windows, and murals. He also collaborates with Akira Ishikawa and Jerry Ukai as part of ULTRA HEAVY. Regarding the exhibition, Kamiyama says, "When I look back at the test drawings or spray paintings I've made using the markers and spray paints I use every day, there are moments when they somehow resemble a 'face.' I find it fascinating to add a little extra smearing or overdrawing, and something completely different from what I intended emerges. I've captured this sense of liveliness, which seems both inevitable and serendipitous, in a new form and will be presenting it as my first exhibition of 2018. For some reason, I'm deeply in love with this sensation this time around. I hope you'll come and see both my new works and the works I've reworked from my old drawings!" Come experience the charm of works born from the liveliness of chance and inspiration.

In addition, there will be an opening reception on the first day of the exhibition, the 15th, from 6:00 PM to 8:30 PM, and live silk will be held on the 17th from 12:00 PM to 2:00 PM and from 3:00 PM to 5:00 PM. Participation is limited to one print per person and costs 1,500 yen.