From 1901 to 1904, Spanish-born artist Pablo Picasso went through what is now termed his “blue period,” which tended toward melancholy depictions of gaunt, forlorn figures rendered in various shades of blue. Currently, Japanese artist Nowtoo Sugi is mired in what might be termed her “Neko Atsume period,” which tends toward colorful, ephemeral depictions of cartoon cats from a popular mobile game rendered in foam and various bartender syrups over steaming hot coffee. Sugi’s pop culture-themed latte artwork, which she shares through her popular Instagram account, which focuses on portraits of cute cartoon characters, such as Snoopy, Princess Elsa, and BB-8. Of late, Nowtoo seems to have found her perfect muses in the adorable cats of Neko Atsume: Kitty Collector. Though she cannot claim to have invented latte art, Sugi is widely recognized as an innovator in the form, bringing a wide range of color into her work. Her Neko Atsume creations are certainly impressive and inventive. Like these:
And these, too.
And then there are these:
Note how the one on the left is three-dimensional and how its chocolate syrup eyes seem to gleam with life. Note, too, that the kitten on the right has one of those x-shaped buttholes that Neko Atsume fans have come to love so much. Fans utterly charmed by Sugi’s work and anxious to know more about her process are recommended to check out the artist’s YouTube account. There, one will find several oddly relaxing, behind-the-scenes videos documenting her creations, such as her latte rendition of Edvard Munch’s The Scream. The artwork cannot last, by design, but these photos and videos have preserved Sugi’s legacy for the ages.