Miyake’s arrival coincided with a turning point in Japan’s history—a moment when the fervor of political movements had started to wane. As the Osaka Expo’70 marked the dawning of rapid economic growth and rampant consumerism, it also paved the way for a new wave of visual culture, where manga, anime, and gaming began to rise and reshape the fabric of Japanese society. Like many of his generation, Miyake grew up immersed in this vibrant visual culture.</p><p>His works, featuring characters with oversized oval heads, slender limbs, and an innocent, manga-inspired style, immediately evoke the Otaku subculture, which has left a lasting imprint not only on Japan but across all of East Asia. Some might regard this as nothing more than an individualistic cultural phenomenon born within a particular subculture, where disillusioned youth, tired of societal politics, retreat into the world of fiction, severing the connection between virtual imagery and real life to create a spiritual utopia. But in a world wholly alienated by consumerism, all is estranged. The city, swollen by economic prosperity, becomes a sprawling, untamable beast. People from all walks of life are swept up in a relentless race for survival and status. In this indifferent, profit-driven expanse, true human connection dissolves into mere abstraction. Yet Miyake’s whimsical, endearing visual language offers a soothing antidote to societal disconnection, providing a gentle respite in an otherwise indifferent world.</p><p>Miyake is not an artist who simply absorbs subcultural influences, nor is he a passive observer. His sustained artistic practice is an ongoing process of shaping his own reality, where creation becomes an active means of engagement. Through this, his visual language takes form— one that not only depicts reality, but also reconstructs it.</p><p><br></p>" itemprop="description" />