HAPPY ZINES AND DRAWINGS WITH MOMOE NARAZAKI

For our latest merch we collaborated with Japanese illustrator Momoe Narazaki. We first spoke with Momoe after her and her partner Will published a series of zines interviewing a number of skaters including some rad Ramallah locals - Malak, Nadeen and Zaina and Maen Hammad. We spoke to Momoe about the inspirations behind her wholesome drawings and how family and farming comes through in her work.

Momoe: Hello, I’m Momoe Narazaki, born in Japan 1991. I studied graphic design at a university in New York and that’s where I met my partner Will. We moved to Japan in 2016, and now we are living in the rural country-side. In addition to my freelance illustration work, we work a small-scale vegetable farm and we also run a small zine library/community space called the Institute of Barbarian Books.

What inspired you to follow illustration?

M: Honestly I think I’m not really pursuing Illustration exactly. Drawing has always been part of me since I was little and it's just the most natural way of expressing myself.

What influences your work?

M: The small encounters and realizations in everyday life, positive or negative. My personal emotions are also often reflected in my illustrations. Farming has been a big inspiration for me too. Every part of the process gives me new ideas.

Do you work digitally or draw on paper? 

M: Both! 

What are some of the themes you work with?

M: The relationship of nature, all living things and humans, farming, and Mutual Aid. I like drawing our family (my partner, our son Tau, and two cats).  I also like drawing the earthworm as our sensei for a better future.

How do you find working on your own projects vs working with brands or organizations?

M: I try to work only with people, brands or organizations I honestly want to support. Unfortunately illustration can’t always help people directly, but I do believe it can play a big role in supporting the people who are working and fighting for a better world.

Can you tell us a bit about the Institute of Barbarian Books?

M: The Institute of Barbarian Books (IOBB) is an independent, unconventional print shop, small publisher, and zine library. Until 2020 we had a physical community space where we held events and workshops, but as we moved locations IOBB became an online platform for our self publishing stuff. We are working on a physical space again and hopefully it’ll be done by the end of this year!

Do you have a favourite illustration/zine/project you made or one you like to revisit?

M: In the previous space of the Institute of Barbarian Books we had neighborhood kids coming over almost everyday. We always played together and they eventually started to become interested in making zines. They decided to make their own zines and display them on the shelves where we displayed many other zines. (They even sold some too!) It’s not really a project, but I felt so happy when this happened naturally. We are working to create a similar space in our new home and hopefully we can provide an inspirational environment for kids again.

What is ITWST / ’I Think We’re Still Thinking’?

M: ITWST is the name of an autonomous graphic design studio that Will and I started in New York, 2014. We thought we could try to make a living by just doing graphic design, but we felt uncomfortable with how much the practice is tied to advertising and consumerism. We realized this is not what we want to do for the rest of our life.

Now Will is a full-time farmer and I call myself an illustrator (and sometimes graphic designer for  certain projects). ITWST still exists as my studio name and I’m happy how ITWST changed/grew in an organic way. The name we gave ourselves “I Think We’re Still Thinking” makes so much sense to us.

How do you find combining family life with illustration and creative work?

M: I think the act of “creating” has always been the main part of both of our lives. We followed our belief in how we want to keep creating, whether it is drawing, writing, making books, farming, playing music, skateboarding… we always do it together and share the experience. Now that we became parents I’m sure some part of my creative mind changed in terms of how we have to make a living for and support our child, but it has been such an amazing experience for me.

How did you get to know SkatePal?

M: A few years ago we published a zine that was an interview with Ryan Lay. He had recently traveled to Palestine and introduced us to SkatePal. My partner already had an interest in Palestine and he was inspired to visit by himself in 2019. Although he didn’t volunteer directly with SkatePal, he spent a lot of time with the local skaters and other volunteers and he had an amazing experience. Since then we’ve both enjoyed following all the work SkatePal is doing and all the joy it continues to bring.

What inspired your illustration for SkatePal? 

M: I wanted to simply try and capture the pure happiness I sense from seeing the kids and young people enjoying their time freely together on skateboards under the shining sun.

What are some of your plans for the future?

M: I have so many things I’d like to do, but visiting Palestine as a family is definitely high on our list. And if I have an opportunity, it’s my dream to do a mural painting with the kids at the skatepark!

Our collab tee, hat and sticker sheets with Momoe are now available via our shop. 100% of proceeds directly support our projects in Palestine.

Momoe has also recently illustrated Ryan Lay’s new pro Krux trucks, featuring animals gathering around a Watering Hole.

You can check out more of Momoe’s work via her Instagram and website. Make sure to also follow the Institute of Barbarian Books and look out for their new physical space and check out the lovely Barbarian Farm.