by Cotoh Tsumi

Hand painting on disused London bus panel

43 × 29cm

Hand signed unique work

This unique work is part of a collection of 15 original works on display in Shoreditch, London by Japanese artist and illustrator Cotoh Tsumi.

Cotoh Tsumi's portraits span from flat, cartoon-esque drawings to rich paintings with deep skin tones and realistic features. A testament to the artist’s skill and versatility, both ends of the spectrum seduce the audience with airy and fashionable characters caught in time. The artist is also known for their commercial illustration in music and apparel brands, most notably being the main artist behind the branding of Japanese pop music duo Yoasobi. Their recent publication Akaban charts the variety of the imagination, from science fiction concept art to emotional portraiture, it is a collection of over 500 illustrations covering nearly every facet of Tsumi’s unspoken universe.
The artist has used several taglines since appearing on social media in 2017, one being “Oh, only girls can draw. Only nice people can draw.” and another: "Ah, I can only draw girls. I can only draw fantastic people.” Cotoh Tsumi’s age and gender are undisclosed and unimportant to their work, regardless, girls are an obvious motif in their work.

Tsumi's solo show consists of painting and drawing upon salvaged London bus panels with the proceeds going towards supporting London’s homeless and disadvantaged youth.