In their vibrant, gestural works, Ishii subverts traditional masculine archetypes through a lens of tender whimsy and fluid identity. Their paintings of sailors, cowboys, and other historically macho figures are transformed through loose, expressive brushwork and a deliberately soft palette of pinks, blues, and creamy whites. Like David Hockney's swimming pool series or Jean Cocteau's sailor drawings, these works dance between masculinity and vulnerability, creating intimate moments that challenge conventional gender narratives while celebrating the human form in all its possibilities.
The artist's technique draws from both classical figure studies and contemporary queer aesthetics, calling to mind the emotional rawness of Egon Schiele's line work combined with the playful color sensibility of Francesco Clemente. Their unique approach to texture - building up thick impasto in some areas while allowing others to remain delicately translucent - creates a visual poetry that mirrors the works' thematic exploration of strength and softness.
8 products
8 products
