Abstract

The art book "PUZZLE – ENIGMA – RIDDLE: A Surreal Fantasy Artbook" features 60 images (all of the works exhibited at the "Nazonazonazo" exhibition, which began in late January 2025) created by Nakagawa Junai, who has adapted 60 gentle and mysterious paintings by The Planks. Each image is accompanied by 60 stories, short and long, by Margaret Boy, creating a humorous and mysterious fantasy artbook of illustrations, photographs, and text, whose worldview resonates even more deeply with readers. The hidden themes range from resistance to the absurdity of life, healing, love, and hope, and you may find new interest not just once, but each time you reread it.

Author’s Information

The Pranks
The Pranks are an art unit that focuses on painting, and according to them, their free-spirited paintings, which appear to have been created unconsciously, are "just playing around." The Pranks find the fundamental value of painting in "the way that when you look at a painting, you can't help but imagine a story," and the narrative quality of their paintings has led to collaborations with creators from a variety of genres. Although details of their profiles have not been revealed, a painting that is said to be a portrait of them was also made public at the same time as the release of their work for "Nazona Riddles." According to the mysterious painting, they appear to be a duo consisting of a man and a woman. Official website: https://www.thepranks.net
Junai Nakagawa (born 1948 in Tokyo) demonstrated his unparalleled artistic sensibility as a commercial photographer, becoming a favorite of fashion magazines. While continuing to work in various media, Junai Nakagawa also pursues his life's work by wandering the city and capturing images driven by his curiosity. In 2010, he participated as an official photographer in the first WAF (Wall Art Festival) held in Bihar, India. While photographing murals and art workshops, he was moved by the strong lives of villagers, which led him to take family portraits, opening up new horizons for himself. Junai Nakagawa is also an active collaborator in other fields, presenting numerous experimental works both in Japan and abroad. His photo exhibition "111 Daydreams" (2021) attracted attention with the presentation of 111 collaborative works with The Planks. Official website: http://www.nakagawa-junai.com Margaret Boy: An artist participating in The Planks. "In Love with Satan" (2021) is a slapstick novel in which all 111 works from The Planks and Nakagawa Junai's "111 Daydreams" are arranged in the order in which they were created, and the artist writes a caption for each one, creating a single story.