“This Sucks” by Poshichi | all images used with permission
Poshichi is a Japanese artist creating nihonga-style images of daily life. The digitally-rendered, anachronistic artworks often feature the artist’s cat in playful, humorous settings that are, at times, quiet and reflective while other times whimsical and even surreal. We spoke with the artist about their background, art style and, importantly, their cat.
in “Mistake” a woman stoops down to a cat in the rain, only to discover it was a plastic bag
Poshichi grew up around art. Their grandfather ran a small framing shop in rural Japan while their grandmother had an art degree and was an art teacher. An avid drawer, it seemed Poshichi was destined to become an artist. But life is not always so straightforward.
The budding artist went to an art high school but struggled. “A poster I spent the most time on, was the only one not selected for a contest,” the artist told us. “I really don’t have any fond memories.” And so Poshichi gave up on pursuing art as a career and decided to get a “regular” office job.
But Poshichi continued to stay connected with art, particularly at the insistence of a friend who encouraged them to keep drawing, if only as a hobby. Two years ago, Poshichi adopted a rescue cat and that’s when things began to change. “Until then, I hadn’t found life enjoyable, my days seemed unrealistic, and I had no hope for the future. I wished the days would just pass by quickly, and I painted pictures that expressed these dark, gloomy feelings. I know it’s cliche, but ever since adopting my cat, I’ve found many moments of joy.”
I know it’s cliche, but ever since adopting my cat, I’ve found many moments of joy
It’s these moments of joy that have become the inspiration for many of Poshichi’s recent, humorous images. “I felt the need to preserve these moments so I began capturing them in my artwork.”
You can keep up with Poshichi on Instagram and also support the artist by purchasing prints online.
in “Buddha’s Cleaning,” two Buddhas clean the puke of a devine cat
in “Let’s play one last time,” a figure engages in a game of cat and mouse, which will definitely not be the last time
