Born as the eldest son of Toshimitsu Imai, a central artist in the postwar Paris abstract painting movement known as Art Informel, he trained under the famous photographer David Bailey before returning to Japan and attracting a great deal of attention in the 1980s with the various photographic works he produced. Since then, he has continued to energetically create paintings. Many of his works are colorful and fun, but he also has many excellent abstract paintings, making him one of the most noteworthy contemporary artists.
■ Hedorah
Imai creates works based on the motifs of various characters from Tsuburaya films. His most famous work is a series of photographs modelled on the monster Booska, but he also has a series of paintings based on various monsters with his own unique interpretations, and this work is one of them. The pollution-themed monster Hedorah is depicted in an abstract and humorous style.
