Kellen

Kellen Hatanaka is a multidisciplinary artist from Toronto currently working out of Stratford, Ontario. He divides his time between commercial art projects and a personal art practice. His work experience includes illustration, design, mural painting and installations. In his personal practice, he works with a variety of mediums creating paintings and sculptures exploring themes including but not limited to, contemporary Asian identity as well as greatness and human achievement in sport. Hatanaka’s work has been selected for professional juried shows, shortlisted for many awards including the TD Canadian Children’s Literature award. He was awarded the Governor General’s award for his book “Tokyo Digs a Garden.”

Hatanaka’s work tackles a wide variety of subject matter, from celebrating the mundane to the mythology and humanity of sport as well as more recent explorations of race and identity. As a half Japanese Canadian, Hatanaka is interested in exploring how contemporary Asian identity fits into the cultural landscape of North America.

Hatanaka’s work employs a variety of mediums including digital, painting, drawing and sculpture. He finds inspiration in an array of cultural icons and symbols, appropriating imagery from hip hop, packaging, typography, brands, textiles, athletics, contemporary art and design and traditional Japanese art and craft to communicate the themes in his work.