The swatting of futons being aired out on the balcony. The gentle pitter-patter of rain that falls onto ceramic tile roofs. The chiming crossing gates that holds traffic as trains pass by. If you’ve spent time in Japan these are simply, to borrow from David Foster Wallace, the banal platitudes of everyday life.
They’re some of the most obvious realities that are equally some of the most difficult to see, unless we are reminded of them. Perfectly capturing some these moments, and thereby reminding us how real, beautiful and essential they are, is illustrator Yuuta Toyoi.
Working under the pseudonym 1041uuu, Toyoi creates animated 8-bit GIFs that bring to life some of those nostalgic moments in endless loops.
If Edward Hopper was alive today, and living in Japan, I imagine he would be creating art like this.
August 3, 2015 at 5:02 pm
so calming
August 3, 2015 at 7:12 pm
Only unfeeling sociopaths use the word banal to describe life.
These are beautiful as are the real life scenes they copy.
August 11, 2015 at 10:39 am
I love these! I’m just back from a two week trip to Japan and these GIFs really capture the feeling of being there. I can almost feel the humid breeze on that underground platform.
I’ve actually recently written a post about outdoor advertising in Japan, based on my trip –
Six Personal Observations on Japanese Advertising.
Keep up the great work guys!
Jamie
August 16, 2015 at 4:03 am
This is so wonderful. I love that they’re also so reminiscent of old-school, pixel-y games!