The name Hal comes from Japanese kanji meaning Spring. It sounds happy but it has an underlying meaning which Westerners aren't aware of. "Haru" (Hal) directly translated means prostitute. Hal uses this as her name because she likes the sound and the fact that it hints at something erotic in her work.
Lolita is the brainchild of Hal Ikeda, who was spawned from an imagination inspired by the pop era and its icons including Andy Warhol. Lolita is a form of escapism for Hal, an opportunity to reinvent herself in a two dimensional form and live a life of fantasy. The character, actions and emotions extracted by the viewer are those that Hal lives as Lolita.
This work has no pretentiousness, no capital "A" for art but is just great illustration - fun imagery with a subtle message.
There is a sinister quality to Hal's work. Her messages are clear, yet the wording is somewhat askew. English is used but not specifically for the benefit of Western viewers. It is a cunning stunt to throw her audience off the scent. Hal says it would be too obvious to use Japanese script. She also likes the effect on foreign audiences.
The scale of Hal's work is increasing. What started as postcard size prints are now becoming wall murals and huge canvases. The latest character range is "Detonator". It is a series of black and white images of girl's silhouettes, holding a raised challis, draining blood from her fangs. One features a rabbit, knives and swords and another silhouette where Lolita seems to be pregnant. She has a white hole in her womb with a love heart in it. It's the perfect mixture of gore and ridicule.