Misaki Kawai

Here’s my review of Misaki Kawai’s cool “Space House” installation at Boston’s Institute of Contemporary Art. As I wrote:

The 29-year-old Japanese-born, Brooklyn-based artist works in an irresistible style called Cute Brut — cute, cartoony pop styles mixed with folkie or Art Brut techniques. You could also use the Japanese term “hetauma,” a marriage of the Japanese words for bad and good. The idea is like punk rock — fucked-up technique plus verve equals great art if you get it “wrong” in just the right ways.

“Momentum 7: Misaki Kawai,” Institute of Contemporary Art, 100 Northern Ave., Boston, March 28 to July 8, 2007.