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A shared obsession with tentacles is no longer the only thing tying together cult horror writer HP Lovecraft’s Cthulhu mythos and the artistic universe of ukiyo-e master Katsushika Hokusai. In the work of Japanese graphic designer and illustrator Goki Yamada, Cthulhu, Nyarlathotep, Shoggoths and many other unspellable regulars of Lovecraftian demonology take over some of Hokusai’s most recognisable woodblock prints, emerging from the waves off Kanagawa and peeking out from behind Mt Fuji.
The Kanagawa-based Yamada, aka Goking, has been dropping his collages of cosmic horror online and in self-published tomes for years, but now his works are finally set to be available in a medium suited to their majesty.
Dropping on March 24, the 128-page, B5-sized Jashin sanju-rokkei (‘Thirty-six Views of the Old Gods’) art book contains monstrous versions of all 36 prints in Hokusai’s iconic ‘Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji’ series, plus nine all-new artworks and in-depth commentary by Yamada.
In addition to the book, priced at ¥3,080, Tokyo-based publisher Two Virgins has announced a line of exclusive merchandise adorned with Yamada’s artwork, including three T-shirt designs (¥6,050 each), a 35x60cm desk mat (¥3,850) and the obligatory clear file (¥660).
True connoisseurs can opt for vibrant fine-art prints of five works: B2-size reproductions (¥55,000 each) are available for the Lovecraftian versions of The Great Wave off Kanagawa and Fine Wind, Clear Morning, while three pieces can be purchased in the smaller A3 size (¥22,000 each). All works are giclée-printed to order.
The art book and the entire merch line-up is available for pre-order now in the Otonari online store. Otonari only ships to addresses in Japan, but the book can be purchased via Amazon Japan for international delivery. Now, excuse us as we bribe the publisher to create a full-size print of the Yog-Sothoth x Fukagawa Mannenbashi masterpiece pictured below.
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