Campbell La Pun's paintings inhabit and interpret a fast-paced urban environment infused with light, colour and popular culture. Using everything from meticulously crafted stencils to aerosol and acrylic paint on wood and canvas, he takes us careering through the modern world, his paintings reflecting the dizzying range of motifs, colours and forms that manifest themselves in the iconography and advertising images of the global marketplace.
La Pun was born in New Zealand, studied art in Melbourne Australia and now lives and works in Tokyo, which is often described as ‘the original megacity’. Its dense population, cutting-edge economy and eastern and western culture in this all intersect with an exhilarating sense of energy. He draws inspiration from this vibrant world and channels it into his work particularly through the lens of urban pop art.
Bombarded with advertising and pop imagery, la Pun displays a wide range of influences from Japanese anime cartoons to retro video games and iconic movie characters. His work is now sold all over the world and he has an impressive list of private collectors and commissions. His influences include what he describes as ‘all the legends’, including Warhol and Basquiat, alongside Anthony Lister and Madsaki.
