Since its birth in 2018, Tokyo Love Hotels has showcased and provided a platform for over 600 local and international artists, exhibitions, pop-ups and performance acts. In collaboration with Metropolis, Tokyo Love Hotels cherry-picks one talent each month to be featured as LOVEHO SELECTS, showcasing artists and small businesses to readers and culture enthusiasts alike.

Tokyo Love Hotels is an art event organization based in Tokyo, Japan, that gathers local and international talents of all ranges to share a night of art, music, experiences and love with the community. They support artists by providing space for them to perform, promote, network, sell and exhibit their work; free of charge and commission.

LOVEHO SELECTS Featured Artist: yesnos

Official Biography:

“yesnos” is a coined term that takes the plural form of “yes” and “no.” This word is based on universally understandable terms, regardless of age, gender, race or nationality, with the intention of inspiring positive “action” in those who come across it. yesnos-Leather Custom Shop is a creative initiative that started in Tokyo in 2020, dedicated to shaping a better future through the crafting, manufacturing, collaboration, repair, modification and restoration of leather.

What got you into leather art?

I’ve always loved art, but after graduating from a fashion university, working as a fashion designer at a company, and gaining experience in production, I decided to go independent. During the time when I was still experimenting and searching for my own direction, I was deeply moved by the words of an elderly leather craftsman I greatly respect: “A craftsman is forgotten once they die. No one will even remember them.” Those words made me seriously consider pursuing art as well. It was then that my journey to explore a more pure form of self-expression began.

A lot of your work revolves around philosophy and human connection. Where does this stem from?

I’ve been vaguely pondering things like the need for new designs, the necessity of overproduced goods, and my own role as an individual in society. As I experimented with what I personally considered to be “truly necessary,” I naturally began to encounter the vast amounts of information stored in the minds of many people. This became an input for me, which, in a way, has shaped my work into a unique style.

Please pick one of your works and share the message behind it.

“The Lifetime Cushion” for babies and kids. It represents the dark and painful past, the harsh days of desperately trying to survive, and the hope that seems almost lost, unsure of whether it even exists anymore. In the midst of that endless darkness, it is the “light” I arrived at. This artwork, named “Future,” feels like the pinnacle of my creation.

Any future desires?

I want to create a form of expression that’s neither hip hop, punk, nor rock, but something purer and more ATOMIC.

Do you have a message for our readers?

First of all, I hope you find it interesting.