InterviewFeatured Artist

"I loved drawing since I was little, and I was a child who would draw whenever I had free time. I wanted to study art in earnest when I finally decided on the high school I wanted to go to. I had a vague image of going to a preparatory school, but when I took a trial class on drawing apples at an open campus of a high school, that idea changed completely. Until then, I had been drawing in my own way, but it was the first time my teacher taught me. I realized that drawing after gaining knowledge of art is different from the experience of painting so far. I wanted to deepen it."  
Mr. Seguchi recalled that time and answered the turning point in the way he interacted with art and creation. After his high school days, where he picked up themes from the lyrics of his favorite music and sometimes drew pictures using his friends as models, he arrived at the expressive style of "transformation × self-portrait" when he entered art college two or three years later.  
"After entering university, I began to worry about my own personality and developed complexes, so I began to draw with themes that faced my inner self. When I was young, I admired magical girls such as Pretty Cure. Kamen Riders often hide their faces with heavy equipment, while magical girls can dress up like dresses and wear makeup to make them cute. On top of that, they are strong and protect the world. I was attracted to a girl with a strong appearance and personality. I had a desire to transform into something nicer and stronger, and while searching for the image of myself I wanted to become, I depict the theme of the emotions I felt strongly at that time."

"When I was a student, I was often evaluated for being good at drawing. Especially in high school, I was ranked in a drawing class. I was not good at that ranking, because it was faster to count from the bottom. I remember that experience as painful, frustrating, and embarrassing. It was hard to get a score from a different perspective than what I wanted to draw, whether I was good or bad. Even after entering university, I had challenges, but now I feel like I can draw what I like."  
Mr. Seguchi felt bitter in parts that contradicted his own thoughts due to his relative evaluation, but in his current transformation series, he is looking at himself as a model with an objective and strict gaze. So, what do you think about yourself as the independent person who draws? When I asked him, he recounted his thoughts on creation.  
"Painting is also a time to organize my thoughts, so I'm grateful that I have found it as a means of expression. At the moment, I think 'Transformation × Self-Portrait' is the theme that suits me the most. Since I discovered this style in my second or third year of university, I have continued to draw in the same way, so I want to continue drawing with this theme in the future. For me, drawing is one of the tools for self-expression, so I don't care what the people around me think. If you simply think that the colors are beautiful, that's very happy, and there are times when you will be judged by your likes and dislikes. I don't want people to understand or sympathize with the theme I expressed 100%."

"The first work I felt when the theme of 'Transformation× Self-Portrait' was 'Kokoku' was 'Kokkoku'. A picture drawn at university with an assignment on the theme of memory. At that time, I was painting portraits, so I thought it would be difficult to express memory, but I thought about various things. From high school to college, I was able to encourage myself by learning makeup, wearing my favorite clothes, and polishing my appearance. That was the feeling of putting on equipment. I also realized that my way of thinking has changed over time, and I have become more able to face my inner self. I want to depict the process of gradually taking shape both the outside and the inside in this way in combination with a self-portrait."  
The style of expression of transformation and self-portrait that has continued since "Kokoku". This is because you take the time to conceive a theme, and once the theme is decided, it will be put into shape by looking for colors that are suitable for expressing emotions and deciding on your own poses. In fact, Mr. Seguchi also has the face of an office worker on weekdays. He says that the reason why he can continue to create even though he is busy every day is because he is "half-willed". I could feel a strong desire for creation that could be taken as a resignation.  
"The only thing I've been doing so far is painting. It would be a waste if I didn't continue, and if I stopped drawing, it would be over. If possible, I would like to draw and make it my job. I would be happy if there was even one person who thought my paintings were good. Right now, I draw myself as a model, but I think there are times when I have a family and want to draw objects that I haven't looked at before. There is a possibility that the expression will change, but for now, I want to continue painting, inspired by the ever-renewing desire to transform 'I want to be someone.'"