堂東由佳 Yuka Doutou (1983-Present)

Sweet Chaos: Yuka Doutou’s Playful Silkscreen Worlds

Born in Hyōgo in 1983, Yuka Doutou builds exuberant silkscreen prints that shift with every step you take. From across the room her candy-bright surfaces feel carefree and textile-like; move closer and the pattern bursts into a lively crowd of character drawings - cute, animated and brimming with mischievous energy. The artist captures this tension in the phrase “Carefree Moment, Bad Premonition” (呑気な時間、嫌な予感): a push-pull between light-hearted colour and a flicker of unease that invites viewers to bounce between big-picture harmony and up-close discovery.

The journey begins with everyday notebook sketches. Doutou scans, layers and re-layers these drawings until chance overlaps spark unexpected hybrids and pocket-sized stories. Colours are dialled up, outlines refined, and the final image is hand-pulled through silkscreen - a process the artist treats as both craft and play. The resulting prints are dense, rhythmic tapestries: step back for harmony, lean in for imaginative chaos.

Already honoured with the Jury Prize at the Tokyo International Mini-Print Triennial and celebrated in solo shows from Osaka to Tokyo, Doutou’s work appears in respected public collections across Japan. Explore her vibrant universe today and bring home a print that never stops revealing new stories.