Kaikai Kiki Gallery's Japanese Treats Hit The Armory Show 2012 (PHOTOS)

Messed Up Manga Meets The Armory

Kaikai Kiki Gallery's exhibit at the Armory Show 2012 gives a colorful glimpse of Japanese contemporary art, including some pretty mangled manga.

The collection features work from Mahomi Kunikata, a self-confessed anime geek who uses anime's visual language to convey dark, psychological themes. Referencing hentai, a subculture of sexually explicit manga, as well as moe themes, Kunikata portrays the uber-cute in twisted scenes suggesting depression and masochism. Big-eyed little girls gush blood and dripping ice cream cones carry dirty connotations. The raw comic creations toy with the proximity of pleasure and pain, not only in the works themselves but in the viewer's reactions.

Other artists showing with the gallery are ob, Hiruki, JNTHED, Haruka Makita, Suzukazu Suzuki, Hiroaki Sato, and Eri Ohama. All of the artists involve the imagery of Japanese culture to help create links between art and life.

Visit the Kaikai Kiki Gallery at the Armory Show, March 8-11 in New York.

One of these images below is definitely NSFW, by the way. Don't say we didn't warn you!

Pretty or pretty messed up? Let us know in the comments section.

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