History of GONNYS
Introduction
GONNYS is an attempt to pick up and give shape to the "Quiet Signals" floating around the world.
For me, drawing was an act of "reconnecting myself with the world."
Make the world more interesting.——Trying to make your everyday life a little more interesting with small colors and lines. Here we chronicle our journey.
2016: The year of descending inward
Philosophy, reading, observation. I spent time alone, diving deep into my worldview.
At this point, I hadn't even thought about "painting a picture," but the days of asking myself these questions became the foundation of my later expression.
2017 First Line
At the urging of an acquaintance, I decided to try drawing for the first time.
Every time I placed abstract lines and planes, my mood became clearer and the contours of my emotions became visible - the door to expression opened.
2018 Poetry is born from paper to digital
He started drawing on paper with crayons and soon began creating digitally on his iPhone.
Using Procreate, I go back and forth between manual effort and digital improvisation.
At the same time, he began to express himself through words - he began writing poetry - and pictures and words began to illuminate each other.
2019 Introduction of iPad and the birth of "NICOIPI"
With the long-awaited arrival of the iPad, production has been consolidated into digital.
We also incorporate color correction and finishing in Adobe, which increases the resolution of the work.
During the year, a character called "NICOIPI" was born. The lines had a personality and began to tell stories.
2020 Drawing "for someone"
He began creating more works based on friends, acquaintances, and colleagues, and art became a gift and a diary.
They are also beginning to explore "wearable expression," such as printing NICOIPI on T-shirts and giving them as gifts.
2021–2023 Season of Accumulation
As the work continues day by day, the number of motifs grows.
Based on themes such as "boundaries" and "consciousness," his work has evolved into an expression that moves back and forth between abstraction and characters, while also leaving room for the viewer to participate.
2024 Seattle Resolution
A trip to Seattle, USA was a turning point.
"I will continue to make a living through art" - this determination has clarified the direction and intensity of my work.
June 2025 GONNYS is born
GONNYS was born as an extension of travel and dialogue.
GONNYS is not a character that belongs to any one person, but rather a character that exists within everyone.
We have begun our journey as a brand that delivers values through messages and merchandise and grows together.
GONNYS × Flags — A collaboration of color and story (2025–)
A series of works has begun that superimposes the life of GONNYS onto the colors and story of the national flag.
After Japan, France, the UK and Italy, next up is Spain.
We hope to develop this series into one that celebrates differences while sharing the same light.
What I value
- Quiet Signals: Giving shape to the whispers of the heart and returning them to everyday life.
- Border Crossing: Design that transcends borders across countries, languages, and generations.
- Co-Creation: To complete the piece together with the viewer, wearer, and other people involved.
- Kindness: A portion of sales is donated to ongoing donations, creating a cycle.
How to participate
- Save/share your favorite GONNYS (we welcome your comments and photos on social media)
- Tell us your story (even just a comment or DM)
- Wear it - Bring GONNYS into your everyday life with T-shirts and merchandise.
Hashtag suggestions: #GONNYS #QuietSignals #MakeTheWorldMoreInteresting
from now
GONNYS will continue to be a small bridge between you and the world.
Encounter, learn, and cross borders—Be an inspiration to others.
I would like to write the next chapter with you.
View the latest catalogue
https://f5f03u-ke.myshopify.com