Artist Interview No.1 -BOXER JUNTARO- vol.4

#Art #BOXERJUNTARO #Hiphop #Interview #Japan #Osaka #Picture #Streetart #Tokyo #TOKYOURBANART 2021.06.15

Continuing from the previous article, this time we would like to talk about the Japanese street scene surrounding JUNTARO, as well as some of his episodes overseas. We hope you enjoy it.

I continued to talk about the musical scene, but I was surprised to see Yo Shitara of BEAMS (President of BEAMS Co., Ltd. and BEAMS Creative Co., Ltd.) commenting on the book band. He is a big name in the Japanese fashion scene.

I think the first time we met was at a year-end party hosted by BEAMS, since they were handling my brand. The moment I met him, he was like, “I know who you are! Give me your number!” lol

Since then, he has been using an iPhone case with JUNTARO’s illustrations, and he also had the opportunity to work on a huge canvas (2.7m x 6m) for the elevator hall of the new BEAMS office when it moved.

Last year, Mr. Shitara turned 69 years old, and since he loves rock music so much that he plays in a rock band himself. He said to me “69 years old is rock ‘ n’ roll. Can you draw me a picture of me rocking out?” and when I did, he imitated the picture and posted it on Instagram. I was so happy.
Also, he said I can use the picture in the elevator hall for the exhibition, but I don’t know how to carry it out lol

I sure don’t know how to carry that thing out! lol

I was surprised to see him in a photo with De La Soul and Jungle brothers. I was told that this was when both groups came to Japan and played at a club called Grand Cafe in Nishi-Shinsaibashi.

I didn’t have any plans to paint or perform at De La Soul’s event, but I knew the Grand Cafe well, so I thought they would be happy to have their portraits displayed as a form of hospitality. So I proposed the idea and did it myself.
So they got excited when they saw the picture, and they followed me on social media and posted it. They were really nice people lol

The artists that De La Soul follows on social media in Japan must be pretty rare indeed…! This is a surprising story. But that’s not the only interesting story.

Also, you don’t see many art pieces signed by De La Soul or Jungle brothers in Japan or the world, do you?

Wow, that’s amazing! I asked him if he had any memorable episodes. The answer I received was completely unexpected.

Pieces signed by De La Soul and Jungle brothers.

De La Soul surprised me by saying that I looked like a high school student lol I was in my late 30s at the time. Hahaha!
But we’re still friends, and he still likes me on SNS.

For those of you who don’t know De La Soul, they are counted as one of the groups that changed the gangster image of hip-hop. In Japan, he has also influenced artists such as Schadarapar. What I want to say is that he is a legend, and I was impressed that his personality is just as I imagined.

The collection included many pictures that I had painted overseas, so I asked about those as well.

When making a collection of his works, he thought, “Let’s paint a local celebrity on a local wall,” and decided to paint on a wall overseas! So, he decided to gather up the money and go abroad. He even brought along a photographer to make sure he got a good picture. Naturally, he had to pay for that as well. It makes me ashamed that I was so stingy when I traveled to Kyushu. In the meantime, the episode about Snoop Dogg’s work was also amazing.

Snoop Dogg must have two or three studios, but the one I was asked to paint was originally Warren G’s (Snoop Dogg’s close friend) studio. Snoop, Warren G, and Nate Dogg, so I drew 213, which was done by the three of them.

His cousin Joe Cool (who did the cover for Snoop Dogg’s first album, “Doggy Style”) was also painting on the wall across from where I painted, so I guess Snoop Dogg saw the picture.

Originally, JUNTARO had planned to go to LA, then to New York, then to Jamaica, and finally back to Japan. However, while working in LA, he made a connection with Daz Dillinger of The Dog Pound (Snoop Dogg’s cousin), who suggested that he might be able to draw….
He traveled to Jamaica while waiting for permission, received word of the permission while in Jamaica, and hurriedly bought a ticket and returned to LA. What kind of route did you take to get the permit in the first place?

As for LA, I had some contacts from my original street connections. It wasn’t easy, though lol
Through this connection, I was able to get in touch with Risky, who does the artwork for 2PAC, and the two of us drew a picture of the Last Supper as a motif.
At the studio, the manager knew all three of the members of 213 since they were children, and I remember that he was very happy when he saw the picture I drew.

Still, I’m amazed at the number of world-famous names I know, one after another, even though I don’t know much about hip-hop! By the way, in your overseas works, there are many pictures drawn on the streets, aren’t there? Isn’t this illegal?

It’s all legal! I don’t want to do anything illegal either. I had to negotiate with the owner of a potential canvas wall from the very beginning. I even went to talk to the owner and he asked me to paint on it. Maybe New York and LA are areas where people are more tolerant.

Illustration of Notorious B.I.G. in Brooklyn

It seems that the business of renting walls is becoming popular, but he negotiated with the owner of the wall to paint it because he felt that it would not leave his work. By the way, I heard that the wall of Notorious B.I.G. in Brooklyn comes up quite high on a search, so I checked it out, and it’s true! You should all try searching in English!

According to Mr. JUNTARO, “I think there are still remains,” which is the strength of his persistence and effort to paint in legal. So, Mr. JUNTARO, you have been painting in various places, but did you find any differences even in the same street?

It’s completely different. Even if we just talk about the painters, first of all the climates and the seasons are different, aren’t they?
Paint is also affected. In the U.S., I was planning to use both paint and spray, but maybe it’s the spray culture, but American paint doesn’t slide well, so I didn’t end up using it.
I bought a lot of it when I went to Jamaica. I knew they didn’t have spray paint there. I knew that they didn’t have sprayers over there, but I knew that I couldn’t just put them on the plane. At the airport, they confiscated everything and said, “Who is this? lol

So there is such a disorder. I never imagined that. I could imagine the episode where you got angry lol How was Jamaica?

Jamaica, on the contrary, is a paint culture, and that paint is smooth and easy to draw with. I don’t think there are any sprays in the market to begin with. But it’s interesting to see how different things are from place to place, and I’ve grown as an artist. I’ve gained the confidence to paint anywhere even if I go empty-handed.

Mr. JUNTARO creating artworks in Jamaica

This episode is like getting the origin of street culture, which was born from the lack of possessions. I think it’s an episode that we can’ t feel just by staying in Japan, where we are blessed with so many things. Did you find any differences in the personalities?

The feeling of the street is not so different, but in the U.S., there is a sense of fighting, and there is not much back and forth.
In Jamaica, it’s a bit more loose. I’ve often asked to have a wall painted white, but when I go back the next day, I find that nothing has been done lol
I guess that’s the result of living in a culture.

I see. As a result, I think you are actively sending out your art beyond your cultural sphere, and you have left some results. What are your tips for sending your art overseas?

It’s all about action now and then, isn’t it? Whether to move or not to move.
It’s not a matter of “I want to do it,” but of “I’m going to do it,” and that will definitely lead to results. The fact that I’m still friends with BEAMS is a result of that, and it’s an accumulation of things, so I guess you never know unless you try.
That’s how I got permission for Snoop Dogg’s studio within a month.

As for overseas, I feel that I still have a lot of drawing to do, and I have a lot of contacts that I can go to, so I would like to go there again. I’d like to go back and draw some big ones.

The word “power of action” from a person who started by earnestly jumping into the world with T-shirts made from his own work, built a relationship with BEAMS, met big names in Japan and overseas, and continues to send out messages around the world today is more weighty than anything else. It resonated with me!
I’m looking forward to seeing what he has in store for us around the world once the Corona pandemic is over.

Profile

BOXER JUNTARO
Artist
instagram : https://www.instagram.com/boxerjuntaro/?hl=ja

He began his career as a self-taught painter. His artwork with simple, strong lines and vivid colors has attracted attention in a wide range of fields. He has provided graphics for many brands and famous artists. In addition, he has gained tremendous support from the street scene and is involved in a wide range of activities, including constant events involving many people.

Afterwords

How was it, everyone?
For those who are familiar with streets and art, and for those who don’t know but are interested in them, I feel as a writer that this was a valuable first-hand account that can be explored in depth.
The story was so dense that what was originally intended to be Part 1 and Part 2 turned into a four-part series!

By the way, Shinya, the photographer and curator who introduced us to BOXER JUNTARO, joined us to support the interviewer, but the intensity of the conversation got so intense that we had to digress a lot, making the interview difficult!
I’m not a street culture expert, but at New Light, a curry shop in Shinsaibashi frequented by street people, the question “What would you eat, Juntaro?” I don’t think it was necessary to ask that question!

TEXT : THAT IS GOOD editorial department : Koga