Renowned Japanese illustrator and picture book artist Ayako Ishiguro returns to Taiwan after six years for a solo exhibition "Cat-Faced Classic of Mountains and Seas" at Mangasick, a comic bookstore in Gongguan, Taipei. She will also hold a fan signing and interaction session at the exhibition on May 18th.
Reinterpreting the Yokai of the Classic of Mountains and Seas with a Fantastical Style
For this "Cat-Faced Classic of Mountains and Seas," Ayako Ishiguro selected various Chinese mythical beasts and yokai from the Classic of Mountains and Seas and reinterpreted them in her unique fantastical style. Ms. Ishiguro mentioned that all the works in this exhibition were created based on her personal collection of the Japanese edition of the Classic of Mountains and Seas. Since the book only describes the yokai with text and simple black-and-white line drawings, Ms. Ishiguro used her imagination to create these works, hoping that through this exhibition, more people can discover these diverse and wondrous fantastical monsters.
Favorite "Lingmao Fish" and "Cat-Eyed Dijiang" – A Challenging Creative Process
Finally, Ms. Ishiguro also mentioned that among all the works in "Cat-Faced Classic of Mountains and Seas," her personal favorite yokai are the 'Lingmao Fish' and the 'Cat-Eyed Dijiang.' However, during the creative process, because she focused too much on the details of the works, the completed pieces differed in color from the descriptions in the original Classic of Mountains and Seas. Ms. Ishiguro stated that this was one of the unexpected joys of the creative process.
Ayako Ishiguro Solo Exhibition "Cat-Faced Classic of Mountains and Seas"
Location: Mangasick, B1, No. 2, Alley 10, Lane 244, Section 3, Roosevelt Road
Exhibition Period: May 17, 2024 (Fri) - June 10, 2024 (Mon) (Closed every Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday)
Hours: 14:00 - 21:00
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On May 18th, at the "Cat-Faced Classic of Mountains and Seas" exhibition venue at Mangasick, 50 lucky fans received an autograph from Ayako Ishiguro.
During the signing session, Ms. Ishiguro cordially greeted and interacted with fans, changing her signature style based on the type of book being signed. For instance, on 'Jumaru Family Picture Diary,' she would sign the cute "イシグロ・アヤコ"; on picture books, she would sign the stylish English "Ishiguro ayako"; and on yokai-themed works, she would sign the Kanji "石黑亞矢子."
Toy People, Ayako Ishiguro, and Unbox Industries are collaborating on a three-way partnership to soon release Ms. Ayako Ishiguro's latest soft vinyl toy, 'DEVILNYAN (The Toy People Ver.).' All fans of Ayako Ishiguro are encouraged to stay tuned for our updates!
