Taka & Megu is a married couple and artist duo from Japan. The couple adopted the pseudonym of “Itazula,” which evokes the lightheartedness of childhood pranks and invites us to embrace the same carefree spirit as adults. Itazula’s collaboration is a harmonious journey shaped by personal joys and sorrows, a dance of opposites between partners and rivals who enhance each other’s strengths. Their collage works are attained through a combination of traditional and digital techniques. Megu’s calligraphic characters and Japanese ink drawings form the basis of their compositions. Once digitally scanned, the couple adds vibrant colors to the black-and-white sketch–a metaphor for the salvific role of art in a world full of gloom–as well as materials sourced from the Internet and the local library. Flowers, animals, and plants blend into an explosive yet melodious pop aesthetic that brims with optimism. In art as in life, Taka & Megu brave forth with undying devotion, transforming the dark spots into works of beauty and hope.
