Artisle Talk | 江上越Etsu Egami：听见彩虹的色彩
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白石画廊在北京开幕的展览《我爱中国》的契机，我们和艺术家江上越聊了聊她的经历、创作，分享在艺术道路上的探索，或许能带给年轻艺术家一些启发和鼓励。展览的第一部分展出了江上越的作品《彩虹》，延续了其《彩虹》系列。
Rainbow
"The rainbow is pure and beautiful in every color and each color shines and coexists, and also a symbol of dreams and hopes.
The rainbow is my perception of communication and at the same time it becomes my painting language."
—— Etsu Egami
A: Artisle | E：Etsu Egami
隈研吾与江上越在白石画廊北京空间开幕展《我爱中国》展览现场，2023©EtsuEgami
（一）
听见彩虹的色彩
A: 欢迎Egami来Artisle做客～可不可以介绍一下你的绘画作品和创作灵感？
E: 《彩虹》是同名系列作品中的一幅，可能你有看到过我之前的作品，作品的尺幅通常到两三米，所以很多人第一眼看到的是一个很抽象的画面。展览开幕的时候也有很多人就问这个是画的什么东西？抽象，但又很有流动感。但是只要给绘画一点距离感，他们就能慢慢从这个画面中看到一个小女孩的形象。其实小女孩是画的我小时候的自己，以自己为题也是因为我的经历。我在日本出生，然后在法国、美国生活长大，后面在中国和德国留学，所以很多时候有语言的沟通障碍，但也发生了很多趣事。比如说在外打车的时候，不经意在指路的时候和司机说了日语，他应该是听不懂才对，但我发现他最后都走对了路。当然还有我的名字，虽然日文和中文汉字书写是一样的，但读音迥异。特别是我发现我中国的东北同学经常会笑我的名字。我很好奇他们为什么笑我的名字，他们回答说，因为我名字的发音像是东北话的“一袋子米”。这是一个很形象的例子：当一个声音（在不同语言里）变成了完全不同的图像。那到底交流的本质是什么，或者交流的真相是什么？这让我开始了用艺术探索交流、或者误解的旅程。
江上越，彩虹-2022-W-28，布面油彩，199.5 x 141.5cm，2022年©EtsuEgami
《This is not a Mis-hearing game》， 2016 媒体装置©EtsuEgami
A: 你创作的核心关切是沟通和交流，当然沟通的失效有语言差异导致的部分，但艺术作品和观众、或者艺术家与画中人的交流也是重要的一环？
E: 我的作品通过画面去讨论交流，或者是刚刚我谈到的一个距离感。我很喜欢中国的一首古诗苏轼的 “题西林壁”：“横看成林侧成峰，远近高低各不同，不识庐山真面目，只缘身在此山中”。我们会觉得人和人通过交流是越来越接近彼此，但其实交流是认知我们彼此之间的距离的一种方式。诗里说“不识庐山真面目”，我会想，是不是在观看这种距离感、或者界限的时候，交流的本质和真相才会呈现出来。我会画我研究《误听游戏》中的参与者，也画在生活上碰到的一些陌生人，或者我的朋友，当然还有（刚刚谈到的）小时候的我自己，然后进行一些重构。所以有人问，这些人真实存在吗，还是你的虚构？我觉得都有。对，其实看的人他自己心里就有答案了。有次一个观众说我画里的人像他的朋友，但我分明不认识他的朋友，这种亲切感就很有意思，回扣到我讨论的关于误解的主题：我们所看的是什么，认知到底是什么？
《往返于声波和光波之间》江上越 油画 多媒体
中央美术学院美术馆收藏 ©EtsuEgami
我在千叶市美术馆举办个展的时候，也有和蓬皮杜中心的策展人Julie对谈。她谈到“在江上越的作品中，最美的是，她把所有这些特殊性看作是一个来源，不仅是误解，而且是人类关系中的创造和财富。在这里存在着美。”
And what is beautiful is her [Etsu Egami] works is that she sees all these specificities as a source, not only of misunderstanding, but also of creation and richness in people’s relationships.
— Julie Champion 蓬皮杜中心，策展人
千叶市美术馆江上越个展国际论坛海报， Julie Champion，
尤洋，千叶成夫
千叶市美术馆江上越个展，参加型项目-樟子项目ⓒEgami Etsu
A: 想要问艺术家，在你对交流的探索中，雨后初霁的这道“彩虹”是怎么出现的？特别是画中那些精美地契合在一起的线条，你是如何去进行构图、安排那些七彩颜色的？
E: 我开始有创作一些装置，其中就有《误听游戏》这个作品，当时是参与德国一个临终关怀中心做艺术疗愈。其实在那里的很多病患们身体已经不能靠药物来恢复了，但是医院需要鼓励、让他们活下去，让他们能勇敢地面对“生”。当然当时有很多不能提的东西，譬如我们不可以问明天和未来——我们要面对当下，去面对当下具体的感受和可触摸的形体，然后尝试让他们去画颜色和形状。有一次我面对一位年轻的病患，但他的手已经失去了拿画笔的力气，所以要我去帮忙。但当我给他看我的画之后，他什么都没有说，只是流泪。这些经验都会给我很多思考，通过和这些人（用画笔）沟通，我去解构、再重构（交流），就好像我画下了一片灰色的天空，却突然有彩虹出现。在这种误解当中，我看到新的地平线和色彩。
江上越，彩虹-2021-W-3，布面油彩，162x130.3cm，2021年©EtsuEgami
A: 觉得刚刚最令人动容的是你说可以把一个声音、或者语言的声音变成图像，而这个图像会渐渐的从灰色变成彩虹的颜色，呈现丰富的线条和色彩。这一个部分是不是也联系到了你的创作媒介。尤其是你提到的声音装置，还有书法、持续的书法练习，但是什么原因让你坚持绘画，让绘画成为你这个阶段、或者说是最近这几年来一直最关注的一个媒介？
E: 其实我是一直在探索（不同艺术媒介）。我们有很多不同的感知，有触感、有视觉、有听觉，但我希望通过耳朵去看或者是通过眼睛去听。我们可以用不同的维度去转换这种感官直觉。比如我让大家来参与我的《误听游戏》，来自不同国家的人参与其中，因为语言不通，他们的反应就很有意思。当时在日本有本畅销书指出人类90%的信息来自于视觉。我也是从语言慢慢关注到视觉，其实在视觉的不同当中，语音、声音给我的信息好像也会有变化，能够感受到一种色彩的差异和温度，就把这些颜色画了下来，所以我觉得绘画是很自然的事情。而后来尝试了装置艺术后，似乎又能看到绘画新的可能性，得以用绘画来呈现误解（mis-communication）。我觉得绘画是一个很难的媒介，所以要找到自己的一个探索的点和语言，其实是非常困难的事情。
江上越白石画廊新加坡个展《川流不息，然其水非原水。浮沫漂于积水，此消彼起，未可久存》现场图，2023年，私人美术馆收藏ⓒEgami Etsu
A: 会突然想到一些抽象绘画艺术家，譬如康定斯基。他其实是患有一些就是先天的感知障碍，我们现在说是障碍，但其实它叫通感，就是他可以听见颜色、看见声音，让不同的感觉在画布上交融。看你的绘画也有这种音乐的流动感——即使是最严格的几何图形里，也能清楚的看到音乐的韵律和节奏。然后是书法对你的影响，在第一次看到你作品的时候，其实也揣有一些类似的比较和好奇，就是因为你的绘画线条其实是非常像是那种水基的颜料——因为西方油画是油性的，它是等水分蒸干之后，颜料停留在画布上形成的厚厚一层。但是在你的绘画当中，我们看到笔触周围的墨迹，有一些东方水墨绘画的晕染，然后又有那种颜料的滴落感，是能够让人立刻联想到这种毛笔的书写或者说是水墨的绘画的。所以你的绘画通常是以极快的速度表达情绪，还是会非常精细地布局？会先勾勒草稿再转移到画布上吗？
E: 我自己并没有意识到书法的影响，确实我小时候是学习过书法和水墨画，在海外展览的时候，策展人也提到画面中的水墨痕迹，和传统大家熟知的日本版画、动漫那种视觉元素是不一样的。刚刚你说的流动感和韵律感我也很共鸣，其实我在画的时候并没有去强调，但是书写性本身它就有一种音乐感和韵律。有一个学者（JY）谈书法很有意思，他说在东方的很多音乐——比如说中国的很多音乐来源于西部，像胡琴这样的西部乐器，但是东方中原地带的音乐去哪里了？他就说，这个音乐性是包含在书法里面。书法就有很强的节奏感和音乐性。你能看到书法作品中的情感和节奏，跌宕起伏生生不息，在书写中抒发感情，让我非常动容。我觉得这就是书法的力量和能量，蕴含在里边。回到我自己的绘画，我会有不同的（创作）节奏：该慢的时候慢，该快的时候快。当然我在最终面对画布前会画很多很多草稿，但也只有面对画布时，我才能打破往常自己给自己的一些限制。所以我觉得有点矛盾，但创作也必须需要有这样的一个过程。
江上越9岁时期的书法作品ⓒEgami Etsu
江上越xJY《诸子百家》，白石画廊香港，展览现场
江上越xJY《诸子百家》，白石画廊香港，展览现场
（二）
“成为”艺术家，有自己的时代解读
A: 你提到了使用不同创作媒介对你绘画的影响？尤其是不同的媒介牵连着不同的创作方式，需要调动不同的感官、注意力和上手经验，你是如何在这些媒介之中切换，最后又回到绘画的呢？
E: 对于我使用绘画这个媒介，我们刚刚有讨论过。虽然在美术史当中，绘画一直被宣告死亡，但我觉得绘画它是永远存在的。无疑它一直在探索边界和扩张，与其他媒介交融，但近几年我看到有很多艺术家重新回归绘画本身，回到绘画最起源的冲动是越来越明显。所以我觉得这个很有意思，就好像是在不同的地域，但是好像大家都有一种共鸣，对时代的敏感，是要去探索绘画的本体语言。
江上越西岸艺博会个展
A: 在许多的采访或者报道中，你会被介绍为是战后日本的“第三代艺术家”（The Third Generation），但也提到这个称呼不拘泥于日本，更是国际的世代共鸣。你是否觉得你的经历带给了你一种全新的创作方法，有着和之前的时代完全不一样的创作特色？
E: 会有这样的感觉，我经常听到大家对日本艺术的印象，比如说“酷日本”（Cool Japan）的概念，经常看到动画、浮世绘这样的绘画形象——当然这也是一个很大的流派，有很多艺术家参与其中。但我好像没有那么多共鸣。我好像不满足于这样的一种表达方式。在纽约的时候，美国一些策展人、日本艺术专家就会称我是“战后第三代艺术家”，在他们的理论当中，战后第一代就是“物派”和“具体派”。第一代艺术家因为经历过战争，进而会反思现代性，然后又反思艺术本身，很多艺术家肩负着国家未来的责任，要探讨国家何去何从，因此就需要有一个共同的国家认同；但是到了战后第二代艺术家，他们受到消费社会的影响，因为八十年代日本的经济非常快速地成长，或许也是在杰夫·昆斯、安迪·沃霍尔这样波普艺术的影子下，像村上隆、奈良美智这样的艺术家就倾向于创作偏扁平化的图像，尤其是很多代表日本形象的符号化的图像。但我本人是并不满足于这种符号化，觉得对我来说没有那么多共鸣，我更希望从我的绘画语言或者我的这种亲身感受去开始创作，所以他们也说战后的“第三代艺术家”并没有强烈的国家认同和符号化的身份。
有趣的是经历了八、九十年代的包括互联网的发展，当我们随时随刻都可以和地球另外一边的人聊天时，艺术家们反而更强调他们的身份认同与他们的符号。 但世界一直在变幻形态，尤其这几年、在后全球化的背景下，反而我们这些艺术家——有着全球化和国际化的一种特征——能够开始更多地思考自己的全球化背景。这个是我觉得很有意思的。
江上越白石画廊新加坡个展《川流不息，然其水非原水。浮沫漂于积水，此消彼起，未可久存》现场图，2023年ⓒEgami Etsu
广岛美术馆个展《背负的灵魂— 江上越追问的近代，一道新的地平线》，广岛woodone美术馆，广岛，雷诺阿，梵高，江上越作品ⓒEgami Etsu
A: 可能对于读者或者观者来说，“全球化”听起来像是个很宏大的词，但是落实到你的创作，比如说你刚刚跟我们聊到的在临终关怀中心做的项目，其实都是非常细腻、也非常有共情力的实践，而这种实践又是如此真挚的对个体的人的关怀。它无关于你的文化背景、国别和身份认同，其实就是最亲切的交流和切身体验。在COVID-19之后，这种人与人的关怀会更加重要。它不似机构的关怀那般，需要上升到国家或者国际层面、要求建立一个有自信、作为坚强后盾的一个群体或者流派。所以想要了解更多你在白石画廊的一系列展览，和以“我爱……”作为关怀和母题的展览：画廊在你创作过程中都扮演了什么样的角色？白石画廊在亚洲地区有很多画廊空间，想要知道你的作品参与到这些展览、在亚洲各个城市中流动的时候，对于你的艺术成长有怎么样的影响？
E: 我跟白石画廊的缘分是19年开始，在东京银座的个展，当时的展览的名字叫《你的名字？》。因为此前我更多在国外展览，回到日本办个展,能够在多重身份交织中去面对自己、拷问自己的身份，这也成就了展览的标题。我很感谢白石社长，他很喜欢我的作品，我们也有一起讨论很多艺术。他是对艺术很有热情的人，今年在新加坡开了新空间，现在是北京，后面也会在首尔开空间，白石画廊作为一个亚洲画廊，有如此的国际视野和布局我觉得非常难得。（社长）也很鼓励艺术家，所以就也有了我在香港还有台北空间的个展。新加坡画廊空间开馆展也是我的个展。因为当时是一个开馆展，我们在空间还没有盖成的时候就一起看设计图。这种关系是很难得的。所以，新加坡的个展我也能全心全意的去创作，会有很多这种大幅的、近6米多的作品。
江上越白石画廊银座新馆个展《你的名字？》
A: 象征不同的颜色共生的彩虹，在你的作品中代表来自不同的语言使用者，尤其是亚洲地区——譬如方才聊到的中、日两个两个相近文化之间的交流。所以想要知道当你这些作品在亚洲地区（新加坡、东京、香港、台北）去展出的时候，你的作品会吸收到一些怎样独特的东西？尤其是你参与到白石画廊的每次新画廊空间开幕时打造的“我爱……”（We Love）系列展览——在北京是《我爱中国》，你的画作怎么拥抱这些独特地域文化？
E: 我觉得每一次新画廊开幕展做“我爱……”是很让人深思的。因为我觉得爱也是一种交流，更深度的交流，孕育在不同的文化当中。我在新加坡做个展的时候，因为当时是一半是《我爱新加坡》，然后另外一半是我的个展，有很多新加坡当地、印尼、泰国的观众过来。他们以往从来没有没看过我的作品，但是他们看了我的作品之后，会跟我分享一些各自的感受。
江上越新加坡个展《川流不息，然其水非原水。浮沫漂于积水，此消彼起，未可久存》
有一段让我很感受很深刻对话，是一位女士，我看她在我作品面前一动不动，可能停了有三四分钟。我觉得好奇，但见到她眼睛有泪含在里面。她知道我是艺术家后，告诉我说她“好像找到答案了”。我不理解这话什么意思，她便解释说——因为新加坡它是一个多民族的多文化区域——她的老公并不是新加坡人，那么她在一个不同文化的异国的婚姻当中，虽然结婚时非常甜蜜，但存在太多的不理解和沟通障碍。但是她在看我的画的时候，她好像找到了一个答案。我当时听了她的故事之后，也很触动，觉得这是艺术对人性深度的展现，让我思考很久。
我们说“爱”或许有点简单化，但我觉得这是更深的一种人类感情。所以更多时候是展览之后的这种点滴的经验，会给我很大的感触。
白石画廊北京空间开幕展《我爱中国》展览现场，2023
摄影：朱雨蒙
感谢江上越Etsu Egami的受访
以及白石画廊的协调
采访：秦川 Ben
A: Artisle | E：Etsu Egami
（一）Hear the colors of the rainbow
A: Welcome to Artisle, Egami. Can you introduce your paintings and creative inspiration?
E: "Rainbow" is a piece from the series of the same title. You might have seen my previous works, which are usually two to three meters wide in size. Many viewers might have a first impression seeing them very abstract images. It's abstract, yet it has a sense of flow. But you can see, from a little distance, a little girl in the artwork...... In fact, the little girl represents myself when I was a child, and I chose to paint myself as the subject because of my own experiences. I was born in Japan, then grew up in various countries like France and the United States. Later, I studied in China and Germany. There were often language barriers living in foreign countries, though also many interesting stories. For example, when taking a taxi abroad, I unintentionally gave directions in Japanese, which the driver definitely couldn't understand. However, I found that he still ended up going the right way. And then there's my name. Although it is written the same way in Japanese and Chinese characters, the pronunciation is completely different. Especially, I noticed that my classmates from China often laugh at my name. I was confused and curious till they told me that the pronunciation of my name sounded like "a bag of rice" in their dialect. This is a vivid example: when a sound transforms into a completely different image in different languages. Then, what is the essence of communication, or what is the truth of communication? This led me to embark on a journey of exploring communication and misunderstandings through art.
A:The primary concern in your artwork is communication and dialogue. Of course, language differences can contribute to communication failures, but the interaction between artistic works and the viewers, or between the artist and the people being painted, is also an important aspect, right?
E: My paintings are all about communication, as well as the sense of distance that I mentioned earlier. I really like a classical Chinese poem by Su Shi called "On the Wall of the West Forest". It goes: "When viewed horizontally, it resembles a forest; when viewed from the side, it resembles a peak. From afar or near, its height and depth vary. I do not know the true appearance of Mount Lu, for I am in the midst of it." We may feel that through communication, people are getting closer to each other, but in reality, communication is a way to learn the gap/distance between us. The poem continues, "Of Mountain Lu we cannot make out the true face, For we are lost in the heart of the very place." This makes me think: is it only when observing this sense of distance or boundary that the essence and truth of communication are revealed? I study the participants in my "Mishearing Game”, as well as strangers I've encountered in life, my friends, and of course, my younger self, and then reconstruct the images and paint them. Therefore, viewers of my paintings may ask if these figures in the paintings are real or if they are fictional. I believe they are both real persons and fictional simultaneously. Yes, in fact, the viewers themselves have the answers in their hearts. Once, a stranger told me that the people in one of my paintings resembled a friend of his. Clearly, I didn't know him or his friend, but this resemblance is quite interesting and echoes my discussion of misunderstanding: What are we actually seeing? What is cognition, after all?
When I had my solo exhibition at the Chiba City Museum of Art, we invited Julie, the curator from the Centre Pompidou, to have a conversation. She mentioned "In Etsu Egami's works, the most beautiful aspect is how she sees all these peculiarities as a source, not just misunderstandings, but as creations and wealth within human relationships. Beauty exists here."
And what is beautiful is her [Etsu Egami] works is that she sees all these specificities as a source, not only of misunderstanding, but also of creation and richness in people’s relationships.
— Julie Champion
A: I would like to know how did the "rainbow" appear in your exploration of communication? Those beautifully intertwined lines are fascinating, how do they come together on the canvas?
E: I started with installations, one of which was the artwork called "Mishearing Game”. At that time, I was participating in an art therapy project at hospice care in a hospital in Karlsruhe City in Germany. Many of the patients there were seriously ill that cannot be cured by medication, but the therapists needed to cheer them up and encourage them to keep living and face life bravely. Of course, there are many things that we cannot discuss, such as “tomorrow” or “the future”. We need to focus and focus only on the present, the specific sensations and tangible forms, and then paint colors and shapes. Once, I encountered a young patient who had lost strength in their hands to even grab the paintbrush, so they asked me to paint for him. However, when he saw my painting, he didn't say anything but tears welled up in eyes. These experiences have given me much to contemplate. Through communicating with these individuals (using, merely, a paintbrush), I deconstruct and then reconstruct communication. It's like drawing a gray sky from which suddenly a rainbow appears. In the midst of these misunderstandings, I see new horizons and colors.
A: Most touching just now when you mentioned that you can transform a sound or the sound of language into an image, and this image gradually transitions from grayscale to a rainbow of colors, presenting rich lines and colors. Is this aspect also related to the medium you work with? Especially when you mentioned sound installations, calligraphy - your continuous calligraphy practice. But what makes painting your primary focus during this stage of your artistic career, at least in recent years?
E: Actually, I have been exploring different artistic mediums. We have various senses - touch, sight, and hearing - but I hope to "see" through my ears or "hear" through my eyes. I believe we can convert sensory perceptions into different dimensions. For instance, in my "Mishearing Game”, people from different countries participate, and their reactions are intriguing due to the language barrier. I remember a best-selling book in Japan (when I was creating the work) stating that 90% of human information comes from the visual senses. Working with paintbrushes, I gradually shifted my focus from language to our visual perception. I have noticed that the messages conveyed through words and sounds also seem to vary greatly visually, showing nuances of colour. All I did was to record these colour changes on the canvas. That's why painting feels like a natural and instinctive reaction for me. Later on, as I began exploring installation art, I started to see new approaches to painting and how it can show the state of (mis-)communication. It is challenging, and quite difficult to find one's own visual language.
A: That reminds me of some abstract artists, such as Kandinsky. He actually had some congenital perceptual disorders, which we now call synesthesia. He could hear colors and see sounds, allowing different sensations to blend on the canvas. When I look at your paintings, I also sense this flow of music - even in the most precise geometric shapes, one can clearly perceive the rhythm and tempo of music. Then there's the influence of calligraphy on your work. When I first saw your pieces, I noticed some similarities and curiosity because the lines in your paintings resemble those made by water-based pigments. In Western oil painting, which is oil-based, the paint forms a thick layer on the canvas after the water evaporates. However, in your paintings, we see the ink stains around the brushstrokes, resembling the blending effect of traditional East Asian ink painting. Additionally, there's a sense of paint dripping, immediately evoking the imagery of brush calligraphy or ink painting. So, do you usually express emotions at a rapid pace in your paintings, or do you meticulously plan the composition? Do you sketch first before transferring it onto the canvas?
E: I wasn't consciously aware of the influence of calligraphy, but indeed, I learned calligraphy and ink painting in my young age. When I exhibited my works in America, curators also mentioned the traces of ink painting in my artwork, which differ from the visual elements commonly associated with traditional Japanese art, such as woodblock prints or manga. I resonate with what you said about the sense of flow and rhythm. While I don't consciously emphasize them when I paint, calligraphy inherently possesses a musicality and rhythm.It is interesting that a scholar (JY) talks about calligraphy. He mentions that in many Eastern music traditions, such as Chinese music, there are influences from the West, such as the use of Western instruments like the erhu. But what happened to the music of their own? He suggested that this musicality is contained within calligraphy. Calligraphy carries a strong sense of rhythm and musicality. You can see the emotions and rhythm in calligraphy works, with their ups and downs, expressing emotions through writing, which deeply influenced my works. I believe that is the power and energy of calligraphy contained within it. As for my own paintings, I have different rhythms in the creative process: slow when necessary, and fast when required. Of course, I create numerous sketches before facing the canvas. However, it's only when I'm in front of the canvas that I can break free from the self-imposed limitations. So, I feel there's a bit of contradiction, but the creative process requires such a journey.
（二）
Becoming an artist,
an interpretation of one's own era
A: You mentioned the influence of using different artistic mediums on your painting. Each medium involves different creative approaches and requires the mobilization of different bodily senses, attention, and hands-on experience. How do you switch between these mediums and ultimately return to painting?
E: As for my use of painting as a medium, as we discussed earlier, is challenging. Painting has been “sentenced to death” in art history for many times or gradually merged with other mediums while artists continually explore the boundaries of painting. However, in recent years, I have witnessed many artists returning to the nature of painting itself, rediscovering the primal impulse that painting embodies. It's intriguing to see this resurgence as if in different regions, there is a shared resonance and sensitivity to the era, urging exploration of the intrinsic language of painting.
A: In many interviews or reports, you are introduced as a "Third Generation" artist of post-war Japan, which also has a resonance on an international level. Do you feel that your experiences have brought you a completely new perspective that differs from artistic practices of previous generations?
E: I often hear people's impressions of Japanese art, such as the concept of "Cool Japan." It is often associated with images of animation and ukiyo-e prints, which are indeed significant genres with many artists involved. However, I am more inclined to start my creative process from my own painting language and personal experiences. When I was in New York, some American curators and Japanese art experts would refer to me as a "third-generation post-war artist." In their theory, the first generation after the war was represented by the "Mono-ha" and "Gutai" movements. The first-generation artists, who have been through the war, have a deep reflection on modernity and on art itself. Many artists carried the responsibility of envisioning the nation's future, thus requiring a shared national identity. However, when it came to the second generation of post-war artists, they were influenced by the consumer culture. Due to the rapid economic growth in the 1980s, and perhaps under the influence of pop art celebrities like Jeff Koons and Andy Warhol, artists like Takashi Murakami and Yoshitomo Nara started to create flattened images, often using symbolic representations of Japanese culture. Personally, I feel no connection to this symbolized visual identity. It doesn't resonate with me as well. Therefore, they say that the "Third Generation" artists of the post-war era lack a strong national identity and symbolic representation.
I believe that with the advent of the internet in the 1980s and 1990s, enabling us to communicate and interact with people from across the globe at any time, artists have placed a greater emphasis on expressing their identity through symbols. However, the world is in a constant state of change, especially in recent years and within the wider framework of post-globalization. As artists with experiences in globalization and international contexts, we now have the opportunity to delve deeper into our global backgrounds and reflect on them. I find this aspect to be incredibly intriguing.
A: "Globalization" may sound like a grand concept to our readers or viewers, but when it comes to your creative work, such as the project you just mentioned concerning hospice care, it is actually a very delicate and empathetic practice. This kind of practice shows sincere care for individuals, regardless of our cultural background, nationality, or identity. It is about the most intimate form of communication and personal experience. After COVID-19, this kind of care becomes even more important. It is not like institutional care, which requires a national or international level of support or the establishment of a common identity or genre. To learn more about your involvement in the of exhibitions put together by Whitestone Gallery and the focus on care and the theme of "We love…", what role does the gallery play in your creative process? With the gallery having multiple gallery spaces in Asia, I'm interested to know how your participation in these exhibitions and the mobility of your work across various Asian cities have influenced your own artistic growth.
E: My connection with Whitestone Gallery began in 2019 with my solo exhibition in Ginza, Tokyo, titled "Your Name?”. Prior to that, I had mostly exhibited abroad. Returning to Japan to hold a solo exhibition allows me to confront and question my identity within the context of multiple roles. This aspect also contributes to the title of the exhibition. It's quite rare for a gallery in Asia to have such an international vision and presence and the gallery is expanding to other Asian cities like Beijing and Seoul. Thus, I am grateful to the president of Whitestone Gallery, Koei Shiraishi, who really appreciates my artwork. The president is very supportive of artists and passionate about art, which led to my solo exhibitions in Hong Kong and Taipei. In particular, the opening exhibition at the gallery space in Singapore is also my solo exhibition. We even discussed the exhibition while the space was still under construction, planning the show with barely a design blueprint on hand. This kind of relationship is truly unique. So, I was able to dedicate myself wholeheartedly to creating for the exhibition in Singapore, and there will be large-scale works, some of them nearly 6 meters long.
A:We now understand the rainbow, symbolizing the coexistence of different colors, represents people of different culture background, and speaking different languages in your artwork. But I would like to know what your artwork learns from time to time when they are exhibited in cities with totally different cultures. Particularly, in the "We Love…” exhibitions series that you participated in during the opening of each new Whitestone Gallery space, such as "We Love China" now in Beijing, how do your artworks embrace these unique regional cultures?
E: I find it thought-provoking to have the theme of "We love..." for each new gallery opening. Because I believe that love is also a form of communication, a deeper form of communication that evolves within different cultures. During the opening of the gallery space in Singapore, half of the exhibition was titled "We Love Singapore," while the other half was my solo show. As a result, we had many local Singaporean, and visitors from Indonesia and Thailand, many of whom had never seen my work before.
There was a particular conversation that deeply resonated with me. It took place with a woman who stood still in front of one of my paintings, seemingly for three or four minutes. I was intrigued, and then I noticed tears welling up in her eyes. When she discovered that I was an artist, she expressed that she felt as if she had "found an answer”. Initially, I didn't comprehend what she meant, so she elaborated on her experience. Singapore, being a multicultural region with diverse ethnic backgrounds, was the backdrop for her intercultural marriage. Despite the initial sweetness, they encountered numerous misunderstandings and communication barriers. However, as she gazed at my paintings, it seemed as if she had discovered a resolution. Hearing her story deeply moved me and prompted profound contemplation on the impact that art can have on us.
While we may sometimes simplify the concept of “love", I believe it embodies a deeper realm of human emotion. It is often the smallest experiences and encounters following the exhibition like this that leave a profound impact on me.
Thanks Etsu Egami for the interview and Whitestone Gallery.
The interview was conducted by Qin Chuan (Ben).