Traditions and customs from around the world have a deep meaning and they are deeply rooted in the culture of its inhabitants. Usually these rituals are made to honor a deity which brings protection, luck or harm. To be understood with ease these beings are described, drawn and represented with humanoid features.
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With each generation passing by, these ceremonies are slowly forgotten and/or replaced with new ones. It is important to be able to remember these customs and the reason they are made, you might be surprised about the reasons they are practiced.
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But seen from the perspective of an outsider who has no idea how to understand a different tradition other than theirs is viewed as a strange or weird behavior, hence the project's main title.
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"Weirdos" is not meant to mock nor make fun of these customs, this project is meant to be nothing but a slight reminder of the old rituals made by a specific civilization that I find myself to be able to transpose it in my style and add a little twist of youthfulness, rebellion or a trait that i find fitting.
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Starting from stickers, I decided to take this project further and give it more meaning by printing out a copy a poster of each design (70x100cm) and lengthen it by making it a multiple series project.
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I decided to start the first series of this project with Japan, for no particular reason. After a small research and reading about the usage of the masks and what they represent I decided to draw these characters in my own style, while trying to add some sort of an outcast-ish vibe, trying to place the "weirdos" in a more rebel/misfit way.
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Every series released will contain five types of characters.
"tengu were disruptive demons and harbringers of war"
"Oni are believed to be supernatural creatures who are the guardians of hell"
"Oni are not only evil. Some bring protection from evil spirits"
"Hannya portrays the souls of women who have become demons due to obsession or jealousy"
"Oni are typically portrayed as hulking figures with one or more horns growing out of their heads. Stereotypically, they are conceived of as red, blue or green-colored"
