hpgrp GALLERY NEW YORK is pleased to present Mass Production, a solo exhibition by Kenzo Minami. This is the gallery’s first exhibition with the artist and graphic designer. Mass Production presents his various kinds of creativities as a graphic designer and an artist through his products, garment line for about 10 years and new print and silkscreen works. This is his first exhibition to show his products, garments and art works over years in large. The exhibition, curated by Takayuki Fujii, investigates his creative sources for fields of graphic, garment, product design and artworks and show his extraordinary talent and philosophy behind his works. Also having a wide variety of works enables visitors to see his coherent concept and philosophy visually.
About Kenzo Minami
Originally from Hyogo, Japan, Kenzo graduated from Parsons School of Design with a BFA in Product Design after majored Western Philosophy in Japan. Before he established himself as an artist / designer, he started out his career as a set designer for TV broadcast including MTV and Sci-Fi Channel which lead to shoot his own shorts and TV spots, and worked in broadcast as an art director, director, and motion graphic designer for 7 years, with clients ranging from Coca-Cola to Wu-Tang Clan.
As a designer and an artist, his work and design was commission by Mercedes-Benz, Microsoft, Dell, Raf Simons, MTV, Fuse, VH1, Sharp, Nike, Adidas, Reebok, Converse, Eastpak, Smart Car, Hankyu, Kose, Marui, Kidrobot, Ace Hotel, Engineered Garments, Grand Hotels NYC, Sennheiser, among many others. He was also featured in multiple publication around the world.
His design KENZO MINAMI DUNNY (2006), collaboration with Kidrobot, is a part of MoMA Architecture and Design permanent collection.
He was the first Artist commissioned to do mural painting for Nike's first art project space in NYC.
He was featured in “I AM WHAT I AM” ad campaign by Reebok among Jay-Z, 50 cent, Christina Ricci, Allen Iverson, Basquiat, and others. He was one of the selected few artists for its “Artist Series” and his campaign was run together with Basquiat. He also released his own model of Reebok Pump Fury, limited of 500 pairs worldwide, released also together with Basquiat model in Fall of 2005.
He has done multiple murals for ACE Hotel for their Portland location as well as New York location, and also released "KENZO MINAMI x ACE HOTEL" Japan Relief T shirt after The Tohoku Earthquake (Great East Japan Earthquake).
*image (left)
© Kenzo Minami
