Discover the dynamic art of Campbell La Pun, fusing Eastern and Western influences into vibrant urban pop art. Explore his journey and upcoming shows.
Campbell La Pun, originally from New Zealand, currently resides and creates in the vibrant city of Tokyo. Living at the intersection of Eastern and Western cultures, Tokyo pulsates with an exhilarating fusion of energy, color, and light, which La Pun expertly channels into his art. Immersed in "the original megacity," La Pun draws inspiration from Tokyo's vivacity, capturing the essence of the modern world through the lens of urban pop art. The bustling metropolis constantly bombards him with advertising, pop culture imagery, a dense population, and a cutting-edge economy. These diverse stimuli become a wellspring of ideas, which La Pun skillfully translates into stunning artworks on wood and canvas using meticulously crafted stencils and spray paints.
Known for his pop-art aesthetic, La Pun's work is a testament to his energy and excitement. He enjoys transforming luxury brands, famous personalities, and iconic fashion brands into artistic expressions, combining elements of pop art and street art within the context of modern culture and contemporary trends. Before venturing into his art career, Campbell worked full-time in the corporate world, insuring high-rise, high asset value buildings in and around Melbourne. This exposure to corporate life has authentically carried over to his art, which often explores themes of commercialism, frequently featuring repeated images like spray cans, bananas, and multi-million and billion-dollar brands.
La Pun's talent and creativity have earned him several accolades, including being a Stencil Art Prize Finalist from 2014 to 2017 and a Lethbridge Gallery 10000 Finalist in 2013. His art has been collected by notable figures such as Kylie Jenner and Mel B (Spice Girls), and by prestigious corporate entities like Moët Hennessy. His artworks are housed in private collections around the world, spanning the USA, China, Canada, Spain, Germany, Hong Kong, Singapore, Australia, Japan, France, Switzerland, Norway, Finland, Thailand, Dubai, Denmark, Italy, Scotland, the United Kingdom, Hungary, the Netherlands, South Africa, Malaysia, Sweden, Brazil, Puerto Rico, Indonesia, and his native New Zealand.
La Pun's work is represented by several esteemed galleries, including DTR Modern Galleries (Boston, Palm Beach, New York, Washington, Nantucket, USA), Clarendon Fine Art (London, UK), and And Collection (Tokyo, Japan). Campbell La Pun's unique blend of Eastern and Western influences, coupled with his background in the corporate world, makes his art both dynamic and deeply reflective of contemporary culture. To explore more of his work, visit lapun.com.
La Pun considers the most rewarding part of his work to be completing a piece and sending it out into the world for someone else to enjoy. During the creation of each painting, he plans his next steps, allowing him to progress and improve continually. Reflecting on his career, he recalls two starting points: an initial interest in music, which he studied as sound art through university, and his decision to start painting in 2013, which quickly led to gallery representation. Moving to Japan later that year enabled him to focus on his work and establish himself as an international artist.
His partnership with DTR Modern Galleries began in 2017, and he has found it a pleasure to work with their professional team and see his work displayed alongside other artists he admires. One of his greatest accomplishments was working with Dom Perignon for a private event in Switzerland, and he fondly remembers his first solo show in Paris. Looking ahead, he is excited to put together a new show at DTR in Boston in the fall. La Pun feels honored to be part of DTR Modern Galleries' 20th anniversary and encourages everyone to visit their exhibitions.
A notable work in La Pun's portfolio is "Sakura Hanami – Ful," inspired by his daily walks through a cherry blossom-lined path to the Kamakura shrine. He sought to capture the beauty of the cherry blossoms using spray paint, aiming to recreate the immersive experience of their peak bloom. As the season progressed and more sky became visible through the falling flowers, he incorporated more blue into his later paintings, completing that year's series. His creative process involves selecting images of flowers, creating stencils, and painting each layer meticulously with spray paint, repeating the process until the artwork evokes the cherry blossom season.
In Conversation with Cambell La Pun
Can you describe the process and techniques you employ when creating a new piece, starting from the initial concept and inspiration to the final artwork?
Ideas are always flowing, often more than I can ever bring to life. Due to the time-consuming nature of cutting stencils, I often find myself painting an idea that first came to me months or even years ago. Each piece starts as a digital blueprint. I begin by digitally manipulating the source material to generate the stencils. These stencils are then printed, hand-cut with a small surgeon's scalpel , and painted layer by layer, either by individual colors or varying shades of the same color.
Your paintings incorporate a diverse range of influences, from Japanese anime to retro video games. How do you select and integrate these elements into your compositions? What criteria or thought process guides your choices?
Initially, I included these elements purposefully, drawing from memories or nostalgia. Nowadays, I realize that anything can be a source of inspiration. I don’t overthink each element; it's often something collected from my surroundings or conversations. I'm generally more attracted to either unique color combinations, the shape of an object, or simply the challenge of incorporating it into a painting.
Advertising and pop imagery are recurring themes in your art. What specific messages or commentaries are you aiming to convey through these elements? What do you hope your audience takes away from your artworks?
There’s never been any intentional message within the work; it’s purely created for fun. My primary goal is for people to smile and feel something positive when viewing the work, providing a small relief from any daily difficulties. I've always felt that pop art takes a playful approach to art with both colors and subjects, and advertising offers endless colors, shapes, patterns, and source material.
You have garnered attention from an impressive list of celebrity and corporate collectors. How does this recognition influence your work and motivation as an artist? Does it affect the direction of your creative process or themes you choose to explore?
It’s always thrilling to learn of new collectors and to see the appreciation for my work and working within the corporate space is a great experience that always pushes my work forward in new directions. However, recognition doesn’t change my approach; my focus remains on completing each piece and contemplating the next direction for my work.
In the same vein, with your artwork being sold and appreciated worldwide, how do you ensure that it remains accessible and relevant across diverse cultures and markets? Are there specific strategies you employ to resonate with a global audience?
My only strategy has been to create as much work as I can. Fortunately, I work with amazing galleries that manage most of the business side. I just focus on making the best work possible, constantly improving, and pushing out new ideas.
Looking to the future, are there any new themes, techniques, or projects you are particularly excited to explore in your upcoming works? How do you see your art evolving in the coming years, and what new directions are you considering?
The list of themes I’m hoping to explore is endless. Upcoming works include graffiti flowers, Japanese Ukiyo-e pieces, and some portraits. I've started producing works painted on canvas by brush, entirely removing stencils and spray paint. In the future, I'm hoping to expand with works created entirely through screen-printing processes.
I always like to end with a question about your upcoming events, exhibitions, and fairs. What can we look forward to from you in 2024, and where can your fans and collectors expect to see your work showcased?
2024 will be a productive studio focused year. After a solo show and travel last year, it feels good to be back and creating new pieces.
For the immediate future, my work will be showcased at DTR Modern in the USA, Clarendon Fine Art in the UK, along with AndCollection in Japan.
Gallery
Comments