InterviewFeatured Artist

My father worked in the design field, and because of that, I had the opportunity to take a class on Japan painting. So, one day at dinner, he said, "Japan painting is interesting," and told me about Japan painting in an interesting way. I had never thought about learning painting before, but as I listened to the story, I felt more and more interested. In that vein, I learned about the existence of art school, and I decided to take the art school entrance exam because I had always liked drawing. However, although I was successfully accepted into art school, when I first entered university, I had a strong image that "drawing = not being able to make a living", so I was thinking of getting a job at a general company after graduation. But this was only when I first entered the school, and in fact, I was influenced by the high enthusiasm of my classmates around me, and I became more and more immersed in the fun of drawing.

It's hard to say "the most like me"... Even if you are moved or feel a sense of accomplishment at the moment you draw your work, when you look back on it over time, you often feel that you can draw better now. This may be partly due to the improvement of painting skills, and the changes in what I find interesting, what I am interested in, and what is the so-called object of drawing.

For painters, the "theme" is very important, and there are many people who are determined to continue painting this for the rest of their lives and stick to it no matter what they are told. I think it's the aesthetics of a painter. His mentor, Mr. Hiramatsu, was also impressed by Monet, whom he met in France, and has continued to create works on the theme of Japonism. So, it may be close that I myself am still looking for a theme. Because it is something that I will continue to draw for the rest of my life, I hope that I can meet something that will come to me someday, rather than forcing myself to conclude that this is it. For that reason, I try to visit various places little by little so that I can regain the three years I couldn't go out due to the coronavirus pandemic.

 There are two things I want to do. One is a solo exhibition. Exhibiting at art galleries has a lot to learn, and thankfully, I am kept busy by being constantly approached. However, there are restrictions on location and size, so it is difficult to express 100% of what you want to draw. Especially large paintings are difficult to purchase, so they are difficult to exhibit at art galleries. Therefore, I would like to hold a solo exhibition where I can display powerful large paintings in my favorite exhibition location. To do that, I first have to draw a lot of works that I am satisfied with, so I am currently in the stage of accumulating them little by little.

The other is to hold group exhibitions. About 10 years ago, I admired the group called "Yokonokai" to which Professor Hiramatsu belonged, which established an era of Japan painters, and created a group myself. However, since I was young at the time, I had many points to reflect on, and the current situation is that my activities have not continued well. I would like to create a group where I can gather with people who share the same values and interests about painting and develop while having honest discussions. That's why when I hold a solo exhibition, I hope it will be a place to meet such people."