Hanzo

I was commissioned by the owner of Hanzo, a contemporary Japanese restaurant, to create artwork for its interior. Inspired by the vintage Japanese card game Menko, I sought to merge elements of Japanese and American pop culture in a visually cohesive way that complements the restaurant’s atmosphere. Menko, much like the U.S. fad of POGs, features thick, printed cards depicting anime, manga, and pop culture icons, used in a game of skill and strategy. Drawing from this concept, my pieces blend familiar American and Japanese cultural references, reinforcing the restaurant’s fusion of tradition and modernity.