InterviewFeatured Artist
Daisuke Yoshikawa
The path I took while getting lost, eventually becoming a part of myself
Daisuke Yoshikawa softly expresses the familiar scenery right next to him, as if he were surrounded by faint light. How did that gentle and delicate painting come about?
― What made you decide to study painting in earnest?
"In the spring of my third year of high school, I picked up a book at a bookstore that was Monet's art book, and I was very impressed by the sunset view of the stacks of straw on the open page, and I thought, 'I want to do this.' I consulted with my parents about going to an art university, but at first they were quite opposed. In fact, both of his parents graduated from art universities, and he said, "I am against it because I can see that they are struggling." But in the end, I started studying drawing in earnest with the help of my cooperation."
― Why did you choose to pursue the path of Japan painting?
"At the university I went to, I decided to major six months after entering the university, but at first I was thinking of going on to oil painting or sculpture Japan. When I actually tried it, it was already difficult. There were many good people around me. I learned that there are people in the world who are so talented that I think I can't do it, so I quit painting after graduating from university. There was a time when I didn't draw at all for a year. But after not drawing at all for a year, I wanted to draw this time. I don't even know what I'm doing when I'm not drawing. When I thought about what I could do, I thought that painting was the only way to do it. Rather than being able to compete with talented people, I realized that painting had become part of my life cycle. It wasn't "like" or "dislike", it was a part of myself. Still, I decided to paint again. I've been drawing since then."
Drawing familiar nature with thoughts
― What do you find interesting and difficult about Japan painting?
"I was once taught that Japan painting is a painting of subtraction, but it was difficult for me to get used to that approach and rock paint Japan.
I still don't think it's suitable for me, but I enjoy how to use paints that I still can't master even though I've been drawing for 20 years, and I feel like I'm getting better little by little. It's fun to try and make mistakes. 」
― Mr. Yoshikawa depicts "the scenery that is there now"
"The subject matter is a scene where plants are entering familiar scenes of life.
When drawing plants, there are many points that make you feel good about yourself, such as "such a plant grew in such a place".
Weeds grow where buildings have been destroyed and become vacant lots, and ivy is entangled in fences. I tried to paint for a while, but now I don't really want to draw magnificent nature, such as nature or deforestation. I want to depict a familiar level of "people and plants live like this". I like parks, squares, houses, and nature in my daily life.
Things that are within reach and that you have been familiar with for a long time are easy to empathize with.
I am not simply drawing "shapes", but I am drawing concrete objects as a means to put my thoughts into them, so it is very important to be able to empathize with them.
When I draw landscapes, I don't just draw "what I see", but I draw them superimposed on my own image.
Maybe that's why, for example, it's hard to draw a "beautiful scenery" that I covered overseas.
I think the countryside, mountains, and rivers around my grandmother's house when I was a child, and the activities of nature that I have been exposed to are my starting point."
"Earthquake" and "child-rearing" that became a turning point in the style
― It is only recently that he has started to draw familiar nature.
"When I started painting, I was also trying to draw buildings and natural phenomena. The style has changed through stages, but I think the last few years have changed the most.
One of the triggers was the Hokusetsu earthquake that occurred in Osaka. The house was close to the epicenter and suffered considerable damage. The PC that left the data of past works was also damaged and I could never see it again.
So I changed my mind and tried to draw something that was closer to my feelings. I couldn't see my old works anyway, so I decided that I had no choice but to make them from now on.
It was also triggered by the birth of a child around that time.
I sketch what I find while walking with my child later. When you are raising a child, you start to look at things that are more familiar to you.
I recently noticed that children are better at finding various things. It's also fun to draw what the child finds."
― What does art mean to you?
"I may not have been very conscious of it as 'art'.
In my case, it is not that I want to do art, but that I am making my work by accumulating what I want to do and what I can do.
Painting is a means of conveying something to people, but my "paintings" are things that I have accumulated because I want to be convinced and want to get better as much as possible, and I don't look outward much. So it's more of a self-improvement than "art". However, it is often a message to a limited number of relatives. If I had to say, it might be similar to not wanting to publish a love letter. I've only made announcements in limited places so far...
The reason why I've been doing it for 20 years is because I'm still not satisfied with my paintings. Maybe it's because I'm not convinced that I can't get outward energy yet.
In the future, I would like to actively announce little by little."