Aki Yaguchi is a remarkable Japanese/Australian artist and illustrator based in Melbourne. Aki's art beautifully explores the interplay between her heritage and femininity, often centered around the enchanting Tobu Hime, or known as "floating girls". These characters serve as a visual representation of her imagination and a mascot for her identity.

Balancing personal expression with commercial collaborations, Aki finds ways to incorporate her distinctive style into projects with high-profile brands like Nike, Reebok, and Puma.

Navigating the art world as a woman, especially in the male-dominated field of street art, Aki has embraced the essence of femininity in her work. She strives to challenge stereotypes and celebrate feminine aesthetics, whether through softer colours or traditionally "pretty" scenes.

Currently, Aki is focused on self-discovery and personal growth. She dreams of creating a solo exhibition that deeply reflects her experiences and her bond with Tobu Hime, and is most passionate about maintaining a harmonious relationship with her own artistic vision. 

Can you tell us more about your journey from Japan to Australia and how this cultural transition has influenced your art? We hear you're heading to Japan soon, this must be bringing up a lot of emotions!

I was born in Japan and moved to Australia with my mother and father when I was two. Since then I’ve not returned; the upcoming trip is monumental for me. I’ve been estranged from my Japanese family since my parents divorced when I was 8 years old. This trip will allow me to meet these people for the first time since I was an infant. 

Despite not having the Japanese side of my family present, I was raised to understand and appreciate my culture by my Australian mother. She lived there for 7 years and had a deep appreciation and understanding of it. As someone with three Japanese children, she made sure she did all she could to ensure we knew at least as much as she did. 

I was always fascinated, therefore, by most things that came from Japan eg. the cartoons, the food, the fashion. My access to anything related to the culture was limited; I grew up in a small town called Cooran in QLD. It was incredibly rare to encounter anyone of the same background; or any ethnicity other than Caucasian haha. 

I always drew pictures as a child, and I think a lot of the reason I chose to heavily pursue it was because of my father. Before my parents divorced, on rare occasions I would watch my father draw. He was so good at it; it made me realise how much I loved illustration.

I will be meeting him on my trip for the first time in person since I was nine. I would and still do to this day, use drawing as a physical explanation of the scenarios I imagine in my head.

The Tobu Hime, or "floating girls" feature prominently in your work. Could you elaborate on their significance and what they represent to you?

The Tobu Hime have been something I’ve drawn since high school in 2011. She is an unintentional representation of myself. People would often comment on how alike the features of my work looked to my appearance. I would always shrug this off and disagree, but as time has progressed, and as she and I have grown together, I see more and more of me in her.

I used to draw her mainly with flowing jet black hair, ivory skin like the painted faces of the Japanese Geisha, blood red lips and cheeks; I think the hair was what people associated with me most. Since then, Tobu Hime is various colours and will often appear in groups with many versions of herself. This is because I want her to be for everyone. 

Tobu Hime has grown to become a sort of protection spirit to me. She is ever present; brings luck, love and light to those who surround themselves with her being. It is my opinion that if you chance upon a Tobu Hime in your travels, she will secretly follow you for the rest of your day to make sure you are safe and happy. 

Your work beautifully embodies the essence of femininity. How do you envision your art contributing to the broader conversation about femininity, and in what ways do you hope it empowers and inspires women?

As a child, I was always drawn to the typical things people expect young girls to like; anything pink, any doll with blonde hair, anything sparkly… you get the idea. 

My mother was the antithesis of this and tried to encourage me to enjoy less obviously “girly” things.

As I grew into young adulthood I developed an idea that it was shameful to enjoy things deemed typically feminine and tried my best to steer clear of the stereotypes put onto women and girls. This continued into my early twenties; though my work was still based around the Tobu Hime. 

It was hard to feel like I belonged in the street art sphere as in the early years of my career it was dominated by men; my work wasn’t something I’d seen on walls before.

I don’t think I’d fully embraced the things I truly liked and had to eventually realise that femininity cannot be defined and it also shouldn’t be shameful. It is ok to use softer colours, and to paint pretty scenes ESPECIALLY in male dominated fields. 

How do you balance personal expression with the commercial aspects of your collaborations with high-profile brands such as Nike, Reebok and Puma whom you've worked with in the past?

I think the Tobu Hime character really speaks for itself in my work, and generally if I’m approached to collaborate, my clients understand the nature of what I do. I love a challenge, and sometimes fitting Tobu Hime into the specific brand’s universe can be tricky, but somehow it always works.

Speaking of sneakers, what are your most loved pairs and is there anything you're looking to add to your collection?

I love my Ambush x Nike Air More Uptempos Lows in Lilac and Apple Green! They’re so fun and colourful; I like to wear them when my outfits are feeling a little boring. 

Otherwise, I’ve actually been coveting anything Sandy Liang related, especially the Salomon collaborations! I’m so happy to add these Mary Jane-esque cuties to my rotation. Best believe they will be getting a workout in Japan!

What's next on the cards for you? Are there any dream projects or collaborations you hope to pursue in the future?

Currently I’m doing a lot of soul searching and life living. My dream collaboration currently is just a harmonious one with myself! I think it’s hard as an artist to live in such a consumer driven world, and to not feel like a product. I love to make artwork but am currently run down by the pressure of constantly churning out work for people to consume so quickly. 

If anything I’d like to come up with a really solid solo exhibition that speaks on my experience thus far with my best friend, Tobu Hime.