"Dear Supreme, Dear PLAY," a collaborative exhibition by artist and designer Nukeme and art director Tamiho Iwaya, who works as a graphic designer under the pseudonym "GraphersRock," will be held at Shinjuku Ganka Gallery from June 9th to 14th. GraphersRock has been deeply influenced by '90s street and club culture. He began his work with Nukeme, a brand he particularly cherishes, when he asked Nukeme to customize a Supreme cap. This led him to question the somewhat excessive hype surrounding the brand today. Nukeme's work, which transforms existing logos using glitch embroidery data, is a form of resistance to this trend, and this exhibition was inspired by his attempt to express his own contemporary reality. Furthermore, by incorporating PLAY by COMME des GARÇONS, one of the brands that inspired Nukeme to pursue a career as a fashion designer, the exhibition's works are a kind of expression of affection for each brand. "This is pure fan art. We love both Supreme and Play with all our hearts," says GraphersRock, whose overflowing love for the brand is palpable. The pair first began their preparations for the exhibition by lining up early in the morning at each brand's official store to purchase merchandise. Nukeme commented, "When I create artwork that uses glitch embroidery on corporate logos and icons, it's sometimes perceived as 'criticizing the company's stance,' but I don't think that's the case. On the contrary, I think that if you choose a motif with the intention of criticizing it, it becomes too straightforward and uninteresting. It's difficult to turn a logo into an artwork without a certain understanding of its context, and it loses its realism. This time, I chose Supreme and Play as brands we have a particular emotional attachment to, and I'm glad I was able to title it 'Dear.'"
【Exhibition Information】
Dear Supreme, Dear PLAY
Nukeme & GraphersRock
Dates: June 9th - 14th
Venue: Shinjuku Ophthalmology Gallery
Address: 5-18-11 Shinjuku, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo
Time: 12:00 - 20:00 (until 17:00 on the 14th only)
