Area Artist Showcases Japanese Pop Culture In Latest Show
Ewa Beach resident and artist Pancho Abalos will celebrate all things born of Japanese pop culture at his solo J-Pop Art Show happening Aug. 11 at Prototype in Pearlridge Center’s Downtown.
From 5:30 to 8:30 p.m., attendees can view the Edo period-inspired paintings that Abalos, who recognizes that his latest focus on a contemporary form of popular culture provides a link to the past, considers an extention of his most recent works. The show will run until Sept. 10.
Abalos recently displayed his Japanese-inspired art June 2 at ING for his Tributes Art event, which showcased new works that paid homage to the popular art of the Edo period.
“Much of J-Pop or Japanese pop-culture is set in the Edo period or features figures from that time,” stated Abalos. “It (J-Pop) is a result of Edo.”
All forms of pop culture including anime, comics, toys, gaming, movies, fash- ion and music will be celebrated in Abalos’ new works.
“With things like Comic- Con growing bigger and bigger every year, the cel- ebration of American pop culture is at an all-time high,” Abalos added. “I’m all about giving credit where it’s due and acknowl- edging the source, and I think that’s Japanese popular culture. Hey, before Power Rangers, there was Kikaida.”
Besides Abalos’ artwork, DJ Yogurt of Kapolei will be spinning live music while Prie performs. The evening also will feature Art bCause, an art auction that benefits the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, and sup- ports its mission of finding cures and better treat- ments for blood cancers. The auc- tion runs from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. and will include handmade jewel- ry, fashion pieces and original art- work from local artists including Chanel Tanaka.
Along with the auction items, all original artwork will be available for purchase, along with prints and apparel.
In 2003 Abalos turned his passion for art into a profession and has been a live muralist with the Ground Up Movement. He has shown his pieces in the Philippines and Los Angeles.
His collaborations include pairings with many well- known artists of the urban art genre such as Alfie Numeric and Dave Araquel of Beatrock clothing.
Other exhibits have included charity shows in New York and as a Scion Hawaii featured artist from 2006 to 2007. His recent Tributes Art event benefited the Hawaii Arts Alliance and five West Oahu public schools.
For more information, visit panchosart.com.
