I guess not many of you know where, what, or why Koenji is. It's a district of Tokyo, located right in the middle of Suginami, which you can find on the Western end of Shinjuku. Around 1980, quite a lot of apartment buildings were set up there, which caused the number of stores, bars, and cafes to skyrocket. Today you can find cute little stores in Suginami, as an alternative to the hustle and bustle of Shibuya, Akihabara, or Shimokitazawa. If you want a shopping experience with a difference, I recommend Kiki, a pink, cute vinta…

I guess not many of you know where, what, or why Koenji is. It's a district of Tokyo, located right in the middle of Suginami, which you can find on the Western end of Shinjuku. Around 1980, quite a lot of apartment buildings were set up there, which caused the number of stores, bars, and cafes to s…

Although I'm a girl myself, I can't get enough of peeking into other and somehow strangely mysterious lives of my own kind. Especially into those of the very creative and alternative and special ones, the ones who, by their very existence, make this planet a better one. Other girls inspire me more than anything else in this world. Valerie Phillips is not only a very talanted photographer but also someone who pretty much only shoots what I like to look at. Primarily girls being girls. They laugh and they dance and they're not ash…

Although I'm a girl myself, I can't get enough of peeking into other and somehow strangely mysterious lives of my own kind. Especially into those of the very creative and alternative and special ones, the ones who, by their very existence, make this planet a better one. Other girls inspire me more t…

Welcome to Super Potato, also known as the pure video game paradise of the Far East. The store, which stretches over several floors in Akihabara, is crammed with everything that makes retro gamers' hearts beat faster: Super Nintendo role-playing games, Dreamcast consoles, The Legend of Zelda walkthrough books, Final Fantasy soundtracks, most of it between five and twenty dollars - except, of course, the very special gems, such as limited-edition figures or rare versions. At the very top, you'll still find a well-attended arcade…

Welcome to Super Potato, also known as the pure video game paradise of the Far East. The store, which stretches over several floors in Akihabara, is crammed with everything that makes retro gamers' hearts beat faster: Super Nintendo role-playing games, Dreamcast consoles, The Legend of Zelda walkthr…

I stand in front of a wall. It's huge and bright and largely empty. Only two framed pictures hang on it. I try to look at them as concentrated as I can, but that doesn't change the fact that only a couple of stick figures were drawn on the white canvases. They stare back at me. A sun in the corner, some grass on the ground. Everything's black and white. The one next to it doesn't offer a much more adventurous experience either. The gallery owner sits bored on a wooden chair, typing on her iPad. Connoisseurs, patrons, and buyers…

I stand in front of a wall. It's huge and bright and largely empty. Only two framed pictures hang on it. I try to look at them as concentrated as I can, but that doesn't change the fact that only a couple of stick figures were drawn on the white canvases. They stare back at me. A sun in the corner…

When he was younger, artist Ben Evans, who goes by Ben is Right on the Internet, spent a lot of time in the smoked-up rooms of his stoner buddies and girlfriends. So it's no wonder that all this weed glorification made quite an impression on him, and he made weed the main component of his illustrations. Ben immortalizes in colorful pictures how the people around him smoke themselves to death, throw themselves on cornflakes, burgers, and coke after a skillful smoking session, and how they even use the fragrant wonder herb to have…

When he was younger, artist Ben Evans, who goes by Ben is Right on the Internet, spent a lot of time in the smoked-up rooms of his stoner buddies and girlfriends. So it's no wonder that all this weed glorification made quite an impression on him, and he made weed the main component of his illustrati…

My name is Alexandros Mastroyiannis. I grew up in Athens in Greece. But when I got a little older, we moved to Swansea in Wales. Swansea is truly a terrible place, I hated it there. But the city provided me with enough funny anecdotes to last a lifetime. Then just recently my path took me to Exeter in England, which is immediately much prettier to look at than Swansea, even if it is a rather small city. I love Athens, it's a wonderful metropolis. I'm nineteen years old now and I hope I never get older. I only started taking pho…

My name is Alexandros Mastroyiannis. I grew up in Athens in Greece. But when I got a little older, we moved to Swansea in Wales. Swansea is truly a terrible place, I hated it there. But the city provided me with enough funny anecdotes to last a lifetime. Then just recently my path took me to Exeter…

Eve is beautiful. Eve is immortal. Eve costs 10,000 dollars. And June Korea, a photographer and artist from New York City, bought her. "She won't let you down, she won't die", a representative of the company that makes silicone sex dolls and sells them to lonely people told him. "She'll stay by your side forever, looking the way she looks now." A month later, there's a giant box in front of June, brought to him by a FedEx delivery man. "I sat anxiously in front of the box", June tells us. "My h…

Eve is beautiful. Eve is immortal. Eve costs 10,000 dollars. And June Korea, a photographer and artist from New York City, bought her. "She won't let you down, she won't die", a representative of the company that makes silicone sex dolls and sells them to lonely people told him. "She'…

I'm a big fan of artists who use femininity in all its beauty and power as the basis of their work. After all, femininity is full of colorful facets, so that it's never lame to devote yourself to it in various ways, both as someone who creates art and someone who wants to look at it and also understand it in its entirety. Bijou Karman from Los Angeles creates beautiful illustrations of young, strong, and pretty girls. Even famous personalities and brands like Rihanna, Converse, Elle, and Harper's Bazaar have already taken notice…

I'm a big fan of artists who use femininity in all its beauty and power as the basis of their work. After all, femininity is full of colorful facets, so that it's never lame to devote yourself to it in various ways, both as someone who creates art and someone who wants to look at it and also underst…

While you're doing everything you can at night to fill your head with happy thoughts as quickly and cheaply as possible, Nathan Whipple, who doesn't know him, has found a completely different favorite pastime that he joyfully engages in as soon as the sun goes down: He photographs dogs - and posts his collected masterpieces on his blog the morning after. After all, unlike cats, who would eat you alive, if you gave them the chance, dogs are truly loyal. Once they've chosen a master or mistress, they remain loyal to him or her - u…

While you're doing everything you can at night to fill your head with happy thoughts as quickly and cheaply as possible, Nathan Whipple, who doesn't know him, has found a completely different favorite pastime that he joyfully engages in as soon as the sun goes down: He photographs dogs - and posts h…

After I came across the magnificent photographs of Chih Hsien Chen from Taiwan some time ago, I now became aware of Bravo Ko, who not only lives in the same country and city but also acts in the same circle of friends. Having such great companions who do nothing else but immortalize their generation with powerful images is truly amazing. Whenever I publish such photos on AMY&PINK, and I have been doing so for years, critics always start complaining that it's not real art at all. It's just some skillless hipster making pictur…

After I came across the magnificent photographs of Chih Hsien Chen from Taiwan some time ago, I now became aware of Bravo Ko, who not only lives in the same country and city but also acts in the same circle of friends. Having such great companions who do nothing else but immortalize their generation…