Arts Department

MEET THE KAIJU MISSION ARTS DEPARTMENT

Meet the Artists.

New to the Mission? START HERE: Kaiju Papers Site Index

The mandate of the Kaiju Mission Arts Department is to create art that imagines what the future might look like if humankind were to implement some of the lessons and themes outlined in the Kaiju Mission Field Reports. These might be illustrations of the futures themselves, or imagined artifacts that exist in these futures.

This page will be updated as artists join Mission Kaiju_Love_Care_Futures_02026. Want to join the Arts Department? Answer the Creative Brief!

NOTE: Artists are listed in alphabetical order by surname. Please click through to their work and support them!

JOSH BALLZE

Who are you?

I’m an Indigenous artist from many disciplines including Hollywood Creature FX and Museum Painting for Notable scientific institutions. My museum work can be found all over but the most notable are: Montezuma Castle National Park, Musselshell Historical Museum, Monmouth Museum, and Ogden’s GCE Dinosaur Park. For my work in Hollywood be sure to check out my IMDB. I’m what’s known as a Mix Blood City Native being born in Southern California (Montebello). My nation affiliations are Hia-Ced O’ohdam and Rarámuri from the Southwest. Since I was a young kid I was always fascinated with Archaeology and all things Prehistoric (Paleontology), so naturally that comes with a love of a certain radioactive giant mutated dinosaur (Gojirasaurus). I would even be fortunate enough to work with the Godzilla Monsterverse license while employed at Jakks Pacific so being a part of this project (The Kaiju Papers) just seemed like a natural fit. I’m happy to be a part of such a novel project and experience.

What has been your experience working on Mission Kaiju_Love_Care_Futures_02026?

Very gratifying to be honest. It asked me a question that I believe most people need to ask themselves, what is your perfect Utopia. And I sat there trying to figure out what my Utopia would be. When I finally figured it out after some soul searching the rest just seemed to fall effortlessly into place. The more fun part for me was being able to “Indigenize” the genre of ‘Japanese Kaiju’ and working in themes like ceremony, being a part of the land, and Land Back. This project helped give a voice to these themes and I hope through our art mediums, the public will be ready to hear those lessons and take them to heart to strive for that Utopia.

WHERE TO FIND JOSH

Josh's art: Instagram | Website | Facebook | IMBD

Jurassic Paleoart Expo: Instagram | Facebook

ARTS DEPARTMENT ASSET(S)

Coming Soon!

KARI (MARIGOLD) CADENHEAD

Who are you?

I am a multi-disciplinary artist, mother, and proud weirdo. I currently live in Tucson, Arizona, and work in arts administration while pursuing an Anthropology degree. Nature is my religion, I'm fluent in community care, and I consider myself an activist on several levels. I am a caretaker for many reptile (and reptile-adjacent) animals, so I feel the Godzilla Papers is an excellent project to be part of.

What has been your experience working on Mission Kaiju_Love_Care_Futures_02026?

So far, this has been a fun project to mull over while going about the daily grind of life in the present world. Imagining a future in which we all take care of one another is the only way to get there, and I'm very happy to be participating in that. I've already learned that I never do enough art.