InterviewFeatured Artist

Japanese painting
Akiko Iga
Profile
Mr. Iga first came into contact with Japanese painting at Osaka University of the Arts and began his career as a Japanese painter. After the Great East Japan Earthquake, he began to draw social themes, which continued to the Corona series. On the other hand, he also creates works with fantastic themes to maintain emotional balance. We will approach Mr. Iga's thoughts on creating works that make viewers feel and think about various things with two different worldviews.
"Falling roses" Written by: Akiko Iga
Please tell us how you learned about Japanese painting.

I first encountered Japanese painting when I entered the Faculty of Art at Osaka University of the Arts. At first, I chose sculpture, printmaking, and Japanese painting, and majored in Japanese painting in my third year. Unlike watercolor and oil paintings, Japanese painting is used after taking out the rock paint in a jar and dissolving it in a special nikawa liquid. I melt the rock paint with my fingers instead of a brush, but I feel that it suits me, including elements like when such a child is scratching.

Before entering university, I was completely unfamiliar with Japanese painting. There were no artists who painted Japanese paintings close to me, and I rarely went to art museums when I was in junior high school or high school. However, when I was 15 years old, I had the opportunity to travel to Europe and visit the main museums in Paris. When I took a shower of Western paintings, I suddenly thought that it would be difficult for Japanese people to compete with Westerners with Western paintings, so I had to paint Japanese paintings. At that time, I didn't aspire to be a painter, but maybe that's one of the reasons why I was attracted to Japanese painting.

How did you start drawing social themes?

The reason I started drawing social themes was the Great East Japan Earthquake. After the shock of March 11, 2011, I began to think about what I had been drawing so far. At that time, a lot of information was mixed up and the truth was unknown. At that time, the switch in my head switched and I began to investigate the back side of society and the dark side. I collected information on the Internet every day and read a lot of books. While doing so, I came up with an image of the picture, which led to the 311 series.

"Encounter" Written by: Akiko Iga
Please tell us about the Corona series

When the corona epidemic occurred, the knowledge and information I had researched so far had accumulated, and I knew how the world works to some extent. It was an event that happened in such a situation, so I think I was able to draw rather smoothly. I don't have many works, but many of them range in size from No. 50 to No. 150. Perhaps because it contains a social message in addition to the size, customer reactions vary. Occasionally, there are people whose messages stick deeply and we receive unexpected responses.

You've won so many awards, how do you feel?

I didn't have a chance to hear from the judges, so I don't know what points were evaluated. However, when I received an award, the teacher who recommended my painting said that it was a good painting that made the viewer feel and think about various things. I was very happy to hear from someone. In fact, some of the works are sprinkled with ciphers, and I hope that you will read the message as a story about a boy and a girl, including that.

Please tell us about works with fantastic themes

When I continue to investigate the other side of society when drawing works with social themes, I inevitably feel gloomy. In order to rebuild yourself, you also need a bright and fun picture. I draw in between working on works with social themes to maintain a balance of feelings. Also, I do not mix it with works with social themes during solo exhibitions. If you mix the two themes and display themes, I am sure that customers will be confused. That's how different the two themes are.

"Escape" Akiko Iga
Please tell us about your future goals.

This year, I participated in a group exhibition in New York for the first time. I am very happy to exhibit in New York because it has been my dream for 15 years, and I would like to try my hand at exhibiting not only in New York but also overseas in the future. Our goal is also to exhibit the Corona series at a large venue in Tokyo. I have 19 paintings now, but I would like you to draw up to 30 and see all of them. I don't know where the end of Corona is, but I want to continue drawing as long as I have an image in my mind.

Mr. Iga began drawing social themes after the Great East Japan Earthquake and has incorporated the knowledge and information he researched into his masterpieces. The work is sprinkled with codes to make the viewer feel and think about various things. On the other hand, he also creates fantastic works to maintain emotional balance, using two different worldviews. Expectations are high for Mr. Iga's future activities, which he aims to realize his dream of exhibiting in New York, which has been his dream for 15 years, and to expand overseas and exhibit the Corona series at a large venue in Tokyo.

Interview: 2025/04/04