"I've just started making graphic art, but I hope my work will be displayed in someone's bedroom or living room. I have purchased artwork from other artists and it has been a very satisfying experience."
Can you discuss the themes or concepts that inspire your current body of work?
I am inspired by the nature that surrounds me. I think a major factor is that the number of colors we see in our environments every day has increased significantly compared to before.
When I was a graphic designer, I worked on the design of fashion items (umbrella designs and apparel patterns), and I like thinking about how my work would look if it were developed into a product. In the area where I currently live, the fashion of the people around me is different from Tokyo.
The bookstore's book lineup also seems to
be different from Tokyo. Currently, I think the main concepts are ``colorful'' and ``organic.''
How has your artwork evolved since participating in the previous art exhibition of Luna Grande ?
The three works I exhibited when I participated in the last art exhibition were works I created when I was living in Tokyo, and the selection of motifs was significantly different from now.
These can be household items that I notice in my daily life or things that I find while walking around town.
One piece was inspired by the incense smoke in the room, and another was inspired by the shadows on a silver plate I found at a prop shop. I was creating graphical works that were all monochrome in color. The works I have been creating recently have been created since I moved to a residential area in Yokohama, and my focus is more on nature than when I lived in Tokyo. Yokohama is a port town near Tokyo.
It can be said that the atmosphere is a little more laid-back compared to Tokyo. Currently, I am working on
colorful works using flowers, birds, and trees as motifs. The method of producing works has also changed
dramatically.
What role does experimentation play in your
creative process?
I have been working as a freelance graphic designer for a long time. The current production style also mainly uses computers. My skills from my time as a graphic designer come in handy when I create on computers.
I used to create illustrations, logos, music videos, etc., so I used a wide variety of computer applications. I went back and forth between several different applications to create a single work.
Even now, I am applying the skills I had back then to come up with new methods. The evolution of application technology has also had a big impact on the changes in my production methods.
Could you elaborate on any new techniques or mediums you've explored recently?
Previously, I mainly used the graphics software Adobe Illustrator to create my works. This is because a piece of work was completed by repeatedly arranging graphic images.
The work I've been creating recently has changed since then, and I'm mainly working on photography and using Adobe Photoshop.
Decide on a motif, take photos, combine the photos in Photoshop as an esquith, then color and complete.
I would like to avoid going into detail about coloring techniques. This has a lot to do with the skills
I've cultivated over the years, and if I reveal that technology, it might be easily imitated by AI.
How do you balance maintaining your unique artistic style while also pushing the boundaries of your creativity?
I think one of the issues surrounding digital works created on computers is how to maintain the level of perfection in the final output. Issues include the resolution of the work, the performance of the computer used, and the type and method of printing. In the same way that fine artists spend money on paint and canvas, I believe that artists who use computers to create their work face funding issues.
There are many things to think about, such as how much money to spend on printing and how large a work should be produced, taking into account transportation costs and other factors. I have only recently started making graphic art, so I don't have enough knowledge about printing large works, transporting them, managing
edition numbers, etc.
Can you share any memorable feedback or reactions you received from visitors to our previous exhibition?
I didn't go to the Istanbul venue, so I didn't have a chance to directly hear the impressions of the attendees. I would love to hear it. However, I was able to post about the exhibition on social media and hear feedback from my friends. I was struck by the impression that the monochrome, minimalist works were very Tokyo-like.
In what ways do you think your art contributes to or engages with contemporary cultural conversations?
In my conversations with friends, I often feel that in Japan, the culture of displaying art in a room may not be very widespread. It is not very popular to go to a gallery on the weekend and casually purchase artwork. When we think of art in Japan, we may think of arts and crafts such as tea utensils and flower vases.
Inbound tourists from overseas also seem to be purchasing traditional crafts derived from tea ceremony culture, such as the ``Jiku (Kake-Jiku)’’ that decorate the alcoves of Japanese houses. There are almost no TV programs or news about contemporary art. I would like to see art more widely covered in various media in Japan. I would like people to bring art closer to them in a more casual way. I've just started making graphic art, but I hope my work will be displayed in someone's bedroom or living room. I have purchased artwork from other artists and it has been a very satisfying experience.
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