The Osaka Journal: Growing up as an Artist in Japan with Johnna Slaby
We first met Johnna at a candle-lit, intimate bar in the heart of Gramercy Park. She was spending her time traveling, revisiting her favorite places and only returning back to Japan just moments before the world began to shut their borders in March of this year. As a contemporary abstract impressionist creative born and raised in Osaka, Johanna offers a perspective unique from many artists we know. We are honored to have her contribute her story to this platform, and share with you some of her favorite spots around her city to add to your future travel itinerary.
Hi Johnna, Tell us a little about your background!
Growing up in one of the most nitty gritty parts of Osaka, I was surrounded by movement and vibrant scenes throughout my childhood. Even though it was a hectic environment to grow up in, I remember always being fascinated by the rustic scenes of the city around me.
I didn’t start off aspiring to be a painter; initially I was on the road to becoming a pianist. Unfortunately, after I burned out from competitions and performances, I decided to go on a long hiatus. During that time, I happened upon a video of an older artist from New York drawing his breakfast bagel. The dark lines and bright colors spoke to me, and I thought it was something I would like to try. The rest is history, and I have been putting my surroundings and stories to canvas ever since.
What do you think sets Osaka apart from other cities in Japan?
Osaka is a place with so much soul. While it is very much a chaotic metropolis, there are areas where you can be alone in nature as well. In comparison with other Japanese cities, Osaka shares the best of both worlds.
The people of the city keep fueling my creativity and continuously inspire me. The mixed bag of characters that you can find never ceases to amaze me. At the end of the day, you can be in the company of the most wonderful people, and I can never get enough of it. One example that comes to mind is when I found myself amongst a group of architects, artists, and designers planning their next motorcycle race at the base of Mount Fuji, eating homemade curry and being merry. Experiences like these are what make life in Osaka so colorful and what ultimately lead to new themes in my practice.
How do you feel the creative culture scene is there?
With the number of underground artists continuously growing and branching off into different directions, it’s becoming known as a very unique scene. Many artists in Osaka idolize hip-hop culture and make the city itself their canvas, lining the walls of the city center with graffiti. I find that many artists here also play off of traditional art while emulating popular artwork being created in Europe or North America. While there are great aspects of Osaka's creative culture scene, sadly it isn’t known as the best place to be if you want to work full-time as an artist. However, the potential is growing rapidly as more people are moving here to build their careers. Someday I would love to see Osaka become a place where international collectors and galleries make it a point to come visit.
How have your surrounding cultural influences inspired your work?
Japan’s culture has influenced me in many ways, some more obvious than others. For example, my more recent works have me watering down acrylic paint to create subtle sumi-ink like layers. I also play a lot with lines in sequence that always remind me of the tatami floor I paint on. But more so than the culture itself, my own unique experiences within the culture have bled into the stories I work into the pieces.
Whether that be highlighting a color or a snapshot from a day, incorporating words or sentences picked out of a conversation, these experiences act as bread crumbs, guiding my decisions throughout the art-making process.
How would you describe your paintings, your style, your aesthetic?
What are some of your favorite pieces you have created so far?
While I would label my current style as abstract expressionism, my style and aesthetic all started from intuitive painting. I adore the haphazard marks and lines that can only come about through improvised gestural movements. Allowing time and chance to play a part in the creative process is important and that balance is what I think makes a good painting. One of my favorite pieces is called “A Walk From Dumbo”. While I don’t know how a piece will turn out exactly, it ultimately has to have some kind of experience or theme intertwined. For this piece in particular, I kept forgetting the titles I would give it so I knew I had to wait for something to come around. It was only when I took a trip to New York earlier this year that I was able to match the perfect moment to the painting. There's nothing like walking in the middle of winter in the freezing cold of Brooklyn to spark an idea.
Can you tell us some of your favorite spots?
Where do you like to hang out?
Because I use a lot of coffee grounds in my work, I tend to spend a lot of time in cafes. One of my favorite spaces is called Lilo Coffee Roasters, a cafe/hair salon in the middle of the graffiti laden, hipster part of town. From the time you step in, you can tell that the owners value both quality coffee and good design. Multiple pieces of art are scattered around the walls of their hair salon on the second floor, a rare scene for most businesses. I love that they support the community by commissioning locals and work to be a hub for creatives. After a cup of caffeine to fuel myself for the day, one of my favorite things is to walk around different exhibits, visit my friends' stores or take a nap in the park overlooking the Yodo river.
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Orange Street: Because itʼs in the vicinity of Amemura, it has a similar vibe. Thereʼs a bunch of cafes, galleries, brands and restaurants that you can have your pick of. Artists also work in the area and have their studios in random buildings
Nakazakicho: One of the most adorable areas of the city. A lot of the old buildings in the area werenʼt destroyed in the war, and now the old buildings are either cafes or refurbished into shops and galleries.
Kitahama: Located right on the river, you can have your choice to sit in a cafe overlooking some of the old buildings of Osaka or have a nap on the grass over looking the water.
