Yuko Shimizu is a New York-based illustrator, whose bold manga lines depict intimate narrative scenes from myth, science fiction, and pop iconography, creating a visual genre all her own. “People look at my work, and assume I read a lot of manga, but probably the last manga I bought and read (and still think it’s a masterpiece) was Akira.” Shimizu says in an interview.
Her work has been in public circulation for the 15-years, so if it seems familiar, chances are you’ve seen her T-shirt designs on a Gap-store mannequin, Pepsi can, or in an Apple, NIKE, Target advertisement. Her work has been featured in the New York Times, The New Yorker, and DC Comics among other publications.
A recent work in 2020, as a part of The Unity Project (an initiative taken by the Norman Rockwell Museum to inspire American voters), depicts a woman, striking an action pose, togaed in an American Flag, wearing the crown from the Statue of Liberty. On her right forearm a tattoo of an eagle with AMERICA tattooed where MOM would be, points to the figures flaming fist, reaching for the viewer. The yellow background pulls a punch of color along with the other primary colors dominating the scene. The sublime iconography adds to the splendor of the impact of the message behind every image easter-egged throughout the poster.
“(Growing up), I drew copying manga and anime, and for a long time (till I realized I really have no desire to create my own stories) I wanted to be a manga artist. I loved Moto Hagio, Leiji Matsumoto, and Akimi Yoshida. Currently, I really like art in completely different fields from my own. I’m in love and inspired by the Hong Kong films of Wong Kar-Wai, and early works by John Woo, fashion designs and visions by Jean Paul Gaultier, novels by Haruki Murakami, and Eka Kurniawan. They take me journeys I didn’t know I wanted to start.”
