koi•bi•to [koi-bee-toh]: a loved one, Sweetheart
koi [koi]: a carp / bito [bee-toh]: a person

Yoskay Yamamoto is a rising Japanese artist in the LA art scene. His varied work spanning painting and sculpture blends pop iconic characters from his new Western home with traditional and mythical Japanese elements, balancing his Asian heritage with urban pop art. Central to his work the is combination of apparently innocuous human characters with larger than life mystical forces and symbols.

Koibito is based on the original painting featured in his "In a Foreign Land" joint show at project:gallery.

Says Yoskay:
"Once upon a time I had a goldfish named Tuna.
But he passed away because of my laziness and mistreatment,
So I painted him for his memory.
But at same time Koibito symbolizes the sense of alienation that I felt growing up in Cali...
It''s kind of like the phrase " fish out of water",
I felt and still feel like I don't completely fit in my environment... both in Japan and the US......"