Book excerpt: Kazuki Takamatsu's intricate fusion of traditional and modern techniques is as beautiful as it is visionary. His book, Hello Here I Am provides an opportunity to own a unique collection of some of the most innovative and eye-catching artwork in recent history.His hand-painted monochrome objects are created using a mixture of watercolor and opaque white pigments in gouache. After meticulously painting multiple gouache layers, Takamatsu colors each individual pixel of the object a different shade of grey, resulting in an astonishing sense of depth and surrealism. "His hologram-like, female characters look digitized, though they're executed entirely by hand."-Hi-FructoseThis extreme attention to detail allows the viewer to experience Takamatsu's fantastical depictions of Japanese women in an immersive presentation. "Kazuki's beautiful depth map paintings read like misty x-rays of anime fantasies" where "graphic spiritual essences leap off their surfaces" -Juxtapoz This book presents a hypnotic journey into a surrealist realm few have seen before. "This fairy tale is not like the others. Dark and violent stories where floating melancholic childish figures are either in despair or in possession of lethal killing machines. Little melancholic lolitas posing with innocence create an atmospheric, mystic world" -Yatzer