<i>Drop Dead Cute</I> showcases the work of 10 cutting-edge female Japanese artists whose art combines the pop charge of Takashi Murakami and Yoshitomo Nara with a thrilling personal mixture of sweetness and power. This next wave of painters and illustrators from the red-hot Japanese art scene blend aspects of manga, anime, and traditional art with their own idiosyncratic visions to create work that is international in appeal yet uniquely Japanese. This gorgeous book features profiles of the artists based on fresh interviews, along with a generous survey of their art. Also including new work by pioneering art world superstar Yayoi Kusama that salutes these extraordinary young artists, <I>Drop Dead Cute</I> is a must-have for fans of Nara and Murakami, as well as anyone interested in contemporary art and pop culture.<p>interior image: Chiho Aoshima, Japanese Apricot 2, 2000. Inkjet printer on paper. 104.9 x 74.9 cm. Copyright 2005 Chiho Aoshima/Kaikai Kiki Co., Ltd.