Fragrance of Kogiku

"His paintings and sculptures mix together elements of pop art with impressions engraved from childhood. These include memories of hallucinatory experiences and high fevers, and go back as far as World War II. At the same time, these works keep watch over the religious traditions of Asia, and the link between Japanese (notably, art) history and culture. Keiichi Tanaami's art is not just a peculiar combination of 'Eastern' and 'Western' elements, but is also an indication that those elements are 'mixed up' within the artist himself." (Lisa Werner-Art, Dresdner Neueste Nachrichten, March 12, 2009)