Strange Friends and Friendly Strangers - Naga Tsutsumi

For the month of August 2023, Zimmerman Art Gallery presents a new series of charcoal drawings on paper by local artist Naga Tsutsumi.

"Strange Friends and Friendly Strangers" is inspired by the artist's favourite monsters, aliens and superheros.

When sent to summer camp in the United States, Naga recalls "I first thought my parents wanted to get rid of me, so I cried all through the first night, but I also cried on the last day because I didn't want to go back to my home country Japan."

"I was rather a regular Japanese boy, so couldn't speak English at all. Nevertheless, I made friends with some American boys because we all loved superheroes."

"We made conversations with fighting gestures of American heroes like Spiderman and Japanese superheroes like Ultraman. Boys didn't need verbal language then."

Today, the artist still enjoys watching superhero TV programme or movies, bit says "the way I like them is very different now from then."

"I realise I enjoy watching enemies more than superheroes."

"Those aliens from outer space or monsters hidden underground (or underwater) try to attack people and invade the earth with all sorts of creative ideas, unique tactics and imaginative weapons, but the superheroes always repel those attackers in the end."

"I don't like superheroes' perfectionism. I just can't accept a simple good-punishing-bad plot any longer, too."

"Superheroes look good, smart and nice but they are simply just too perfect, which is so unreal and unlikely. If I am to choose either superheroes or aliens/monsters as my friends, I choose the latter without hesitation."

"I just wanted to make my recent favourite monsters and aliens appear in the drawings along with people in friendly and rather respectful settings."

"They are among us just like interaction between aliens at a saloon in Star Wars." - Naga Tsutsumi (2023)