Throughout my life, I have always been asked “What’s your job?”
In my twenties, I would answer without hesitation and with pride “I am a sculptor.” But when I answered in the same way in my thirties, senior artists would often treat me like an inexperienced greenhorn. In reply, I started to organize art projects and art exchanges through which I tried to reach out to society in ways that had not been tried before. In my forties, I attempted a new approach through which I tried to establish a relationship with society through my personal activities rather than through the cooperation with other artists. I initiated projects and artwork that did not have a physical form, and I called these “social sculptures.”As a consequence, people seemed even more tempted to ask “What do you do?”
In my fifties, there was a period in which I felt constrained by materials and techniques. My interest shifted from creating sculptures to dedicating myself to volunteer activities. At that time, I also started to be interested in images and sculptures representing Buddha.
In my sixties – well, that is now– I try to create and show work in an exposition about once a year. I am also newly interested in creating ceramic sculpture.
I have no idea what will happen in my seventies or eighties. However, as for now, I hope to continue to devote myself to a life of artistic expression.
I have built this website to share some aspects of my life and work up to today. The site is divided into the sections “Artwork,” “Projects,” and “Activities.” “Artwork” includes those works of art I have created and sometimes shown in exhibitions on an individual basis. “Projects” lists those activities I have organized or undertaken together with other individuals, or in group expositions. “Activities” covers work in other fields of action. The three sections sometimes slightly overlap.
In my twenties, I would answer without hesitation and with pride “I am a sculptor.” But when I answered in the same way in my thirties, senior artists would often treat me like an inexperienced greenhorn. In reply, I started to organize art projects and art exchanges through which I tried to reach out to society in ways that had not been tried before. In my forties, I attempted a new approach through which I tried to establish a relationship with society through my personal activities rather than through the cooperation with other artists. I initiated projects and artwork that did not have a physical form, and I called these “social sculptures.”As a consequence, people seemed even more tempted to ask “What do you do?”
In my fifties, there was a period in which I felt constrained by materials and techniques. My interest shifted from creating sculptures to dedicating myself to volunteer activities. At that time, I also started to be interested in images and sculptures representing Buddha.
In my sixties – well, that is now– I try to create and show work in an exposition about once a year. I am also newly interested in creating ceramic sculpture.
I have no idea what will happen in my seventies or eighties. However, as for now, I hope to continue to devote myself to a life of artistic expression.
I have built this website to share some aspects of my life and work up to today. The site is divided into the sections “Artwork,” “Projects,” and “Activities.” “Artwork” includes those works of art I have created and sometimes shown in exhibitions on an individual basis. “Projects” lists those activities I have organized or undertaken together with other individuals, or in group expositions. “Activities” covers work in other fields of action. The three sections sometimes slightly overlap.