With a syrupy-sweet, breathy voice, Kahimi Karie whispers in our ears in a decidedly child-like way. But before we can dismiss her as cloying, she seduces us with hip, happy, delirium-invoking pop music. Of course, her beauty and unabashed sex appeal don't hurt. But don't be fooled: her music is as s

Bright, Bubblicious, Candy, Ethereal, Pop, Smarty arty pop

That Kei Takei is an avid gardener is no surprise considering the large role nature plays in her work. After living for three decades in New York Takei returned to her native Japan -- however, she says her garden is un-Japanese. "It looks natural," she explains, "not like a regular Japanese garden wh

Bright, Butoh, Organic, Pristine, Spiritual

Ikko Tanaka (Tanaka Ikko) had more room for playfulness than the generation that preceded him. Working amongst the rubble of Japan's WWII defeat, his precursors advanced with heads of steam in urgent attempts to solidify their status among the world's elite. Born in 1930, Tanaka came on the heels of

Bright, Elegant, Ethereal, Pristine, Sophisticated

Four headless figures -- a man, a woman, and two children -- stand at attention as if in a drawing room, perhaps: they're hard to situate. Their clothes' colorful fabric clashes violently with a laced-up style. In "Nuclear Family" (1999), Yinka Shonibare has fashioned African batik prints into the Vi

Bright, Deconstructive, Eclectic, Ironic, Kaleidoscopic, Young british artists