Interaction of Horror, Anxiety and Existentialism in Matsuyama Miyabi’s Art

Transmission 084: Interview with Matsuyama Miyabi

Matsuyama Miyabi, a Japanese moniker, is a creative artist who paints with her illustrations the beauty of despair, the quietness of uncertainty, the sadness of love, and the tears of the soul. She gained internet fame with her “Addams Family in Kimonos” series. Since then, she has created many gloomy neo-ukiyo-e artworks that blend themes of death with the feminine beauty of traditional Edo-era floating world imagery. In college, she majored in product and industrial design, and after graduation, she worked as an interaction designer, a web designer for six months, and a design director at a game PR company. Despite her various roles, she never gave up on illustration. Her work portrays the darkness of unfathomable anxieties and conjures dark, disturbing facts. Through her artworks, she gives voice to emotions that were silenced or crushed by life traumas or death, making them shine in a different light that underlines their inner meaning.

Matsuyama Miyabi‘s official site, Instagram, Tumblr

What draws you to the macabre genre, and how did you first become interested in this type of art? Have you been fascinated by this genre since your childhood?

Rather than pinpointing when I first became interested in this type of art, I would say it has always captivated me. I recall being drawn to the manga and anime series “Detective Conan” even before I started elementary school. For a child of that age, “Detective Conan” was quite frightening, yet it was also incredibly fascinating. I also remember the moment I first grasped the concept of death; I found myself unable to stop thinking about it. This contemplation of death has persisted into my present life. Inevitably, such thoughts bring about anxiety, but they also offer a kind of solace that blends nihilism with existentialism.

Who are some artists, authors, or filmmakers that have influenced your artwork?

I would say Junji Ito and Zdzisław Beksiński. While I haven’t emulated their artistic styles or themes, I deeply admire their unique aura.

What challenges did you face when creating your art at the beginning, and how do you overcome them?

Discovering my own style. I never set out to overcome it; rather, once I established my worldview, my style emerged naturally.

Do you have any specific rituals or routines you follow to get into the right mindset for creating your art?

No, I don’t have any specific rituals. Usually I just eat something, check if my favourite YouTubers have posted any new content, and go through my emails.

Can you describe your creative process? How do you go from a concept in your mind to a finished piece? How long does it take to complete a piece of art?

I usually wait for ideas to come to me; if they don’t, I don’t force myself. Once I have an idea, I visualize it in my mind, a process that often takes several days or even a week. After that, I spent two days bringing the concept to life.

Are there any themes or symbols that frequently appear in your work that underline a particular meaning? Can you share with us the significance they have?

The most obvious symbol is the eye. White eyes represent my view of humanity—blindness in a metaphorical sense. In my work, humanity is depicted with only such eyes. Additionally, the most recurrent themes are death and disdain from women.

How do you balance the line between horror and beauty in your illustrations? How do you approach the use of colour, texture, and light to evoke specific emotions or moods?

Honestly, I haven’t given much thought to this issue; it all comes naturally to me. The only thing I am certain of is that I’m not particularly skilled with color. I tend to use colors with very low saturation, creating a hazy and indistinct effect through layers of buildup. I avoid adding too many details, as excessive detail can hinder the viewer’s imagination of the scene.

How has your style and perspective evolved since you began working in this genre? What do you hope to explore or achieve in your future work that you haven’t yet?

In the past, my art and design theories were rooted in Western traditions. I spent many years studying painting theory when I was a teenager, which enabled me to create highly realistic portraits filled with light and depth. However, one day I suddenly questioned why I was painting this way and why I needed to render objects in a threedimensional manner. From that day forward, I abandoned those theories of light, shadow, and color, opting instead to express my ideas through lines and lowsaturation colors. Nevertheless, I still incorporate some light and shadow into my work, though I strive to keep them from approaching realism, using them primarily to enhance contrast within the composition.

Are there any misconceptions about macabre art or about artists that explore darker themes in their artwork? Can you share with us your opinion about it?

This is a welltrodden topic, and though it may seem clichéd, the majority still hold similar views—preferring bright and joyful things over darker, more subdued themes. Yet, every form of evil often masquerades under the banner of justice and light, whether in politics or elsewhere—though this does not imply that everything flying under the flag of justice and light harbours nefarious intentions. I have little to add on this matter; I believe others’ interpretations are not of paramount importance.

 What is your opinion about A.I. in the fields of art?

To me, current AI art appears quite dazzling but can also become rather tiresome. Unlike many artists who view AI as an adversary, I regard it as a tool.

How do you see the role of macabre art in contemporary culture? What do you think it offers to audiences especially in this period of uncertainty due to the rise of A.I. climate change, pollution, gender inequality etc …?

Fear often brings about a sense of anxiety and urgency. I recognize that some of my artwork may come across as didactic, but my intention is not to educate others. Rather, I aim to convey a sense of meaninglessness or the notion that humanity is unworthy, even if this goal seems elusive at present. Therefore, regardless of how my work is defined or perceived by others, I do not wish to ascribe any grand significance to it. The sole purpose of my creations is to express my current emotional state, and once the work is completed, the interpretation is no longer entirely within my control.

To digress for a moment, I previously mentioned that I view artificial intelligence as a tool. It possesses remarkable learning capabilities, but what it learns is essentially a reflection of the current state of human society. Humans are biased creatures—most of these biases are acquired through social activities. In other words, bias is one of the mechanisms of human survival. Consequently, as a learning tool, AI inevitably absorbs these human biases. For instance, when creating a certain theme, it may exhibit biases—such as associating outdoor activities predominantly with men and domestic tasks like cooking and cleaning with women. Etc.

Illustrations courtesy of Matsuyama Miyabi

Dominique Musorrafiti

Ciao! My name is Dominique. I’m Italian and I’m proud to be a mix. My father was an Italian chemical engineer and high school teacher, with Greek and Polish heritage. My mother is Haitian, she was high school language teacher, with Dominican, Spanish, French, Portuguese, African and Native American heritage. Being a mix makes me appreciate to want to understand different cultures and lifestyles. I grew up in Italy, lived few years in Haiti, travel around main European capitals, lived many years in China, in Spain and UK. Traveling makes me feel that we can learn something from every situation in every part of the world.