'Bad Translation' T-shirts

[Martino]

If you're in London, you might be lucky enough to pick up a piece of art for free.

http://www.condenast.co.uk/ImageLib/215x233/g_j/JapaneseTshirt.jpg

As part of an exhibition by three Japanese artists, T-shirts are being given out for free. What the recipients don't know is that the Japanese 'slogans' on the front of the shirts are actually a critique of those people who slavishly sport clothing (or even tattoos) bearing Japanese and Chinese writing in an effort to look cool or trendy.

What the slogans actually say is more to amuse any genuine Japanese readers, with slogans like "Nation of shop keepers and binge drinkers" and "Ignorant English using Japanese to appear sophisticated.", as well as some choice (deliberately) mistranslated phrases.

You can see some examples here:
http://www.ichikoo.com/portfolio/film2/ichikootee.jpg

and here:

http://www.ichikoo.com/portfolio/film2/markjason.jpg

About the exhibition:

Mark Jason Gallery (http://www.markjasongallery.com/exhibitions/?mod_fineart_Exhibition_id={D9E07DF0-CBD9-4432-BB8C-F6A5C8769A16}&mod_fineart_Exhibition_action=1)

[eos]

man, they need to bring that over here. wait....i think i'm just going to make my own shirts and profit off them! yeah! that's the american way!!

[Martino]

man, they need to bring that over here. wait....i think i'm just going to make my own shirts and profit off them! yeah! that's the american way!!

I always thought you were arty.

Oh. Wait. No, scratch that. I always thought you were tarty.

The thing I like about this is is they were genuinely just giving these T-shirts out, without explaining what the messages said. And people just grabbed them up.

You can buy these shirts too, £35 (US $65). It's so tempting to buy one ... which, ironically, probably defeats the purpose of the promotion.

[eos]

go here:

http://www.jlist.com/SEARCH/t_shirts/2/

second shirt down....now that's MY kind of shirt!!!!

ps. i changed my title just for you!!!!

[Martino]

Me like these shirts very much.

That probably says something very bad about me. I'll stick to Paul Smith and H&M for the mo.