Artists armed with brushes and paint as "weapons" face off on stage in a battle of creativity on canvas.
The "Art Battle," is an event that blends the seemingly conflicting factors of "art" and "battle." The final to determine Japan's best was held in Shinagawa Ward, Tokyo, on Dec. 22 last year.
Originating in New York, the chance to see artists perform live is gaining popularity. It started in Japan in 2016.
"Most of the paintings are viewed after they are completed. You can see how a painting starts from scratch, from the same perspective as the artist," said Ryota Yamamoto, 29, a representative director of Art Battle Japan. The first world competition in Japan will be held in autumn.
In the Japan final, five artists, including the winners from the Tokyo, Kyoto and Fukuoka regional championships, participated. The allotted time for painting was 20 minutes. When the competition started following an audience countdown, the blank canvases were instantly turned into "artworks."
A crowd of 300, from children to adults, watched the performance eagerly, with some of them taking photos and videos.
"The enthusiasm of the artists as well as the audience was amazing," Minoru Yoshida, a 35-year-old audience member from Setagaya Ward, Tokyo, said.
The winner decided by an audience vote was Rana Suzuki, a painter from Asahi, Chiba Prefecture, who flipped her canvas upside-down in the middle of her performance, transforming her initial volcano-like design into a beautiful bird.
"I wanted the audience to enjoy it. I didn't have any experience painting on a stage before, but it was very fun," Suzuki said.
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