The Art of Khik Weng Keat

Icons of the Rising Sun: Hero of the Millennium , acrylic on canvas, 2024. 16.5" X 24" This 4-part series commemorates the 70th anniversary of Japan's beloved  Godzilla  franchise and fuses the fame of the so-called "King of the Monsters" with the popularity of Japanese culture. Both these icons have become extremely well-known worldwide.  Part 3 of the series focuses on the  Millennium  era, which in the  Godzilla  franchise encompasses the late 1990s to the early 2000s. The painting depicts Godzilla in its appearance from the films Godzilla 2000: Millennium (1999) and Godzilla vs. Megaguirus (2000) where the monster is seen with purple spines. In the painting, Godzilla is seen alongside Mothra, a large moth monster that sometimes appears as either Godzilla's ally or adversary, which appears to sprinkle sakura (cherry blossom) petals on Godzilla to give its spines its pinkish hue.  Sakura plants are symbolic in Japanese culture, representing the...