One of Japan’s most influential pop artists, Keiichi Tanaami was born in Tokyo in 1936 and emerged as a leading figure in postwar Japanese art. His psychedelic, collage-like works span animation, painting, design, and sculpture—marked by a vivid visual language shaped by memories of World War II, American pop culture, and postwar consumerism.
After becoming the first art director of Playboy Japan in the 1970s, Tanaami went on to exhibit globally, developing a style that fuses traditional Japanese motifs with surrealist fantasy and pop iconography. With a career spanning over six decades, his work has influenced generations of artists across disciplines. Tanaami’s boundless imagination and refusal to conform continue to cement his legacy as a visionary of Japanese psychedelia and avant-garde art.
