TAKERU IWAZAKI "FLOW - Freedom and Individuality"

I am in the painting, in a quiet world where I sense no other beings.

TAKERU IWAZAKI describes the state he is in when he is painting like this: When I am painting, I become completely immersed in the act, my self-consciousness decreases, I lose all sense of time, and I become one with the work. This is what is called a "flow state" in psychology, and is similar to the state of "no self" in Zen, a moment when I can feel inner silence and peace.

"FLOW" is IWAZAKI's main theme. This has two meanings: one is the "flow" of the ever-changing shapes and expressions of water and clouds, and the other is the state of flow. It is no exaggeration to say that he paints in order to enjoy it and enter that state.

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Roots 1: Shizuoka

IWAZAKI's hometown, Shizuoka City, is a city with a population of about 700,000. The area is located at the foot of Mount Fuji, the symbol of Japan, and is known as an area surrounded by mountains and rich in nature. The southern part faces Suruga Bay and is famous for its fresh seafood dishes.

Historically, it is also known as the childhood home of Tokugawa Ieyasu, whose city marked the end of the Sengoku period and the beginning of the Edo period, and is renowned as a major producer of Japanese tea.

Iwazaki moved to Tokyo in his early twenties to attend a design school, but after three or four years he decided to return to his hometown of Shizuoka, as the many distractions of Tokyo made it difficult for him to focus on his work.

As a result, it is precisely because he was born and raised in the town that he has formed relationships with people who are able to support each other, and the original deformed wooden panels he uses in his work were only made possible thanks to the support of these local friends.

Roots 2: Abstract Hip Hop

"I was influenced by his pursuit of a unique sound through repeated experimentation, and his style that is not bound by rap (language) and allows the listener to freely imagine scenery and other things."

Abstract hip hop, his biggest influence, is known for going beyond traditional hip hop that emerged in the early 1990s, incorporating influences from jazz and electronica, and using non-traditional beat structures.

In addition, because his music is free from any particular cultural or social context, it has been accepted by a wide range of listeners. The Japanese and Western elements that coexist in the impression of his work are probably due to his influences on Western street culture and music.

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FREEFORM

Japan is a country where natural beauty and harshness coexist, and is often hit by natural disasters. This environment has instilled in us a deep reverence for the power of nature and has contributed to the formation of a culture and identity that coexists with nature. For TAKERU IWAZAKI, "nature" is also an important source of inspiration.

"I'm attracted to the ever-changing nature of water and clouds, their shapes and expressions. I'm also attracted to the individuality of each individual, even within the same species of plant or shell, as no two are exactly the same."

In IWAZAKI's EXTRACT series, the same all-over pattern drawing is silk-screened, but by printing onto panels of different shapes, each piece has its own unique presence. At the same time, because they are all made from the same printing plate, they form an identity as a single series.