Tomoo gokita biography of martin

Tomoo Gokita started out as a graphic designer and illustrator, but soon decided to devote himself to art. He draws on comics, films, underground and pornographic magazines to create abstract and surreal compositions.

Sometimes described as post-conceptual, Gokita’s work explores the banality of the everyday by placing ordinary subjects in distorted, dreamlike atmospheres.

We met him on the occasion of his solo exhibition ‘Gumbo’, curated by Alberto Salvadori, at the Fondazione ICA in Milan until 30 November, to exchange some thoughts on his new works.

I would like to start with the title of the exhibition: ‘Gumbo’, which is the name of a typical stew from the southern United States.

In the text introducing the exhibition you avow: “I have no idea what it means (…) I just painted the things I wanted to paint – my everyday feelings and thoughts.”

Are the titles you have chosen the result of a momentary chan