Mamoru Hirata, Plane and 3D Section

"My IKEA painting work (vase, eyelashes and shelf) / My Bacchus (Green)"

- Congratulations on winning the grand prize. Please tell us how you feel now.

Thank you very much for this wonderful award. I was very surprised when I heard that I had won the grand prize.

-What made you decide to become an artist?

I feel that by thinking about and studying art, my life becomes just a little richer.
I was never particularly good at drawing, but I did enjoy looking at artworks in art museums.
One day, I thought, "The people closest to the work are the creators, so if I become a player, I can get a feel for the reality of the production side up close."
The initial trigger was that I thought it might improve the resolution of how works of art are viewed.
After that, I continued to study at an art preparatory school and at an art university.
However, after graduating, I realized that I had begun walking through a fog with no clear objectives, standards, or goals. But I now believe that this is the reality of the creative side, and that in a true sense I have gone from being an art fan to being a creative person.

What made you decide to apply this time?

First of all, I thought it was appealing that my relatively large work, size 150, would be judged in person.
Also, in May I held an exhibition in the studio where I normally create my work, and by chance I was drawing a 150-size piece at the time, and the maximum size for submissions was 150-size, so that was also good timing.
The other work, My Bacchus (Green), which is fixed with steel fittings, was created when I participated in BankART AIR 2023 SPRING OPEN STUDIO from April to mid-June.The exhibition format was different at the time, but my final decision was based on intuition that it would go well with the No. 150 work, and I'm glad that it received positive reviews.

-Please tell us about the concept of your work and the thoughts you put into it while creating it.

My IKEA painting work (vase, eyelashes and shelf):
Furniture (especially high-end furniture) is expected to be used for the medium to long term. In Japan, for example, a paulownia chest of drawers is said to last about 100 years with repairs and regular maintenance. However, IKEA furniture is different from the general assembly method standards, as it is designed to be assembled by the purchaser themselves to reduce costs and is also intended for short-term use. Therefore, it is impossible to reassemble the furniture after disassembly, so it may not be covered by the warranty or you may not be able to take it out of your home when moving.
I was interested in the contradiction and distortion of depicting furniture (and the surrounding interior design) that is not intended for long-term use in oil painting, a recording medium that can be preserved for a long time if the environment is right, and so I created this work.
I also find it interesting that when you go to an IKEA store, you see bottles, artificial flowers, lighting, etc. already set up as if they were motifs, creating a space where motifs that are difficult to manipulate at will are always present.
My Bacchus (Green):
As the title suggests, this is a work related to alcohol, but first of all, this work allows you to control the horizontal and vertical orientation of the canvas by turning four handles attached to steel fittings.
In general, when a painting is installed on a wall, the horizontal and vertical alignment between the painting and the building's walls and floors is determined using a spirit level. (This also determines the position of the caption.)
However, every viewer has their own physical misalignment, and even if the numbers are horizontal and vertical, they will perceive a subjective and psychological distortion or misalignment. This is the same for me, the artist, and it is natural that for some reason, numerically horizontal and vertical do not feel straight. Also, if there is an unintentional distortion in the pictorial space (perspective or color value), the brain that perceives it may be affected and cause an illusion, so great care is required. Therefore, the work will be installed using the following process.
1. Attach the bracket to the wall. (It is okay if the painting itself is already attached.)
2. Using a laser level or digital angle meter, measure the horizontal and vertical alignment of the metal fittings (at least four points, top, bottom, left and right).
3. After checking that the metal fittings are horizontal and perpendicular to the wall or floor, turn the four handles to measure the horizontal and perpendicularity of the canvas in the same way as the steel fittings.
4. Once the wall, metal fittings, and canvas are all level, I, the installer, stand in front of the work and operate the four handles until the canvas is at a point that I subjectively feel is level and vertical, making fine adjustments until I feel a comfortable amount of pressure is being applied to the painting.
Through the above process, the viewer is able to appreciate the painting while keeping in mind my, the artist's, sense of horizontal and vertical.
Also, the subject of the painting, Bacchus, is the god of alcohol and a drunkard. I love alcohol, and one of the themes of the work is enjoying the misalignment of the sense of horizontal and vertical that occurs when the semicircular canals are disturbed by alcohol.

-What was the thing you paid the most attention to and what were the difficulties you faced?

It's been about 10 years since I last completed my prep school education, and I've been working on a painting using oil on canvas, so it's been a lot of trial and error. It's a bit technical in terms of how I use the paint, but I struggled to bring out a sense of hobby in the way I use oil paint as an independent form of expression, rather than using it in a hobby-like way. For that reason, I was particular about the brush strokes characteristic of oil painting, and the hardness and fluidity of the paint when applied thickly. I was particular about identifying the moments when just the right amount of pressure was applied to the painting, such as the glossy areas on the painting and the faded look of the paint.

-Please tell us about your upcoming activities and future goals.

I am planning a solo exhibition in late October.
In November, there will be an event called Super Open Studio, which introduces the studios of artists in the Sagamihara area that are not usually open to the public. I work in a studio called "Penguin's House Green," so I plan to exhibit my works there.
First of all, I think it's about making those two preparations.

-Please give a message to everyone aiming to apply next year!

The best time to apply is when you think, "Maybe I should give it a try."
If you can express your own "feel good" feeling through your work, you will surely connect with people who empathize with you.
I am looking forward to discovering your next great piece.

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Mamoru Hirata
Biography
Born in Saitama Prefecture in 1989
2019 Graduated from Tama Art University Graduate School of Fine Arts, Painting major

Main exhibits
2018
Painting and Movement (Rough Dimension), Yotsuya Unconfirmed Studio, Tokyo
Exciting! Summer Shinbi Download Campaign, SHINBI GALLERY, Tokyo
Images may always want to be copied, Blan Class, Kanagawa
2019
BankART AIR 2019 0PEN STUDIO, BankART Station, Kanagawa
2022
Tokimeki Painting Road, HB.Nezu, Tokyo
2023
Basic Forces, Uraraka Art Festival, The 5th Floor, Tokyo
Gap Scratches, Penguin's House Green, Kanagawa
BankART AIR 2023 SPRING OPEN STUDIO, BankART Station, Kanagawa

Artist in Residence
2019 BankART AIR 2019 0PEN STUDIO
2023 BankART AIR 2023 SPRING OPEN STUDIO

Awards
2017 Tama Art University Graduation Project Ichiro Fukuzawa Award

Crafts Category: Kasuga Mase

"Belly button cushion"

- Congratulations on winning the grand prize. Please tell us how you feel now.

This was my first time participating in a competition, so I was surprised when I heard the results, but I was also very happy. It motivated me to continue creating more.

-What made you decide to become an artist?

It all started when I wanted to do something I could devote my life to mastering, like my grandfathers, who were carpenters and hand-painted sign craftsmen. I chose lacquer because I was attracted to the interesting material and the beautiful luster, but I've always loved using my hands since I was little, and I became engrossed in the profound depth of the lacquer process. The world of lacquer has so many techniques and materials, and I still have so much to learn.

What made you decide to apply this time?

I had been away from Kanagawa for about six years to continue my studies and get a job, but I thought it would be a good opportunity to return to my hometown for the first time in a long time, so I decided to apply. It was also the time when I decided to make a living as a lacquer artist, so it was also a chance to test my skills.

-Please tell us about the concept of your work and the thoughts you put into it while creating it.

I create works that explore the themes of ambiguity, consciousness, and the edges of shapes. One day, I was sleeping with a cushion that I had in my room as a body pillow, and when I held it in front of my stomach, I felt as if my body was being extended, and I felt the expansion of my body. I thought it would be interesting if this cushion had a belly button like a human's, so I created a shape just like that. In reality, the shape of a cushion is fluid and does not maintain a taut state like in the work, but I believe that lacquer has the power to fix an ideal shape, so I captured a moment of an ambiguous shape and made it into a work. I observed the belly button of a friend who was living with me in a shared house at the time.
Lacquer is strongly associated with traditional crafts and tableware, but I want to focus on the luster of this material and create humorous pieces that will make people chuckle.

-What was the thing you paid the most attention to and what were the difficulties you faced ?

This piece uses a lacquer technique called "Roiroage." To achieve this kind of shine, each of the roughly 20 layers of lacquer needs to be polished. Finally, all of the minute irregularities are polished away with small pieces of charcoal, and each polishing session takes hours. After that, the entire piece is polished using the palms and fingers. It's an incredibly difficult job, but I'm proud that I've put my heart and soul into every nook and cranny, so I hope you'll pay attention to the unique shine of this lacquer.

-Please tell us about your upcoming activities and future goals.

I am currently enrolled in the Department of Cultural Property Conservation at the Graduate School of Tokyo University of the Arts, where I am researching both the production side and the restoration of lacquerware. Both production and restoration require a vast amount of knowledge about history and lacquer, and I would like to continue acquiring knowledge, honing my skills, and continuing to be involved with lacquerware as both an artist and restorer.

-Please give a message to everyone aiming to apply next year!

The Kanagawa Prefectural Art Exhibition does not require the submission of a statement and is judged solely on the work, but I felt that if I put in my own unique ideas, I would be evaluated more highly. The hurdle for submitting was low and it was easy to submit, so I encourage everyone to give it a try.

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Mase Kasuga
Biography
Born in Kanagawa Prefecture in 1998
2021 Graduated from Kanazawa College of Art, Faculty of Fine Arts and Crafts, Department of Crafts
2023~ Currently enrolled in a Master's program in Cultural Heritage Conservation at the Graduate School of Fine Arts, Tokyo University of the Arts

Calligraphy Category: Masako Ueda

"Shinkansen (East Japan Ver.)"

- Congratulations on winning the grand prize. Please tell us how you feel now.

At first, I thought it was a prank (laughs). Since this was my first submission last year and my second time this year, I had always hoped that someday I would receive it, but I never expected to receive it so soon and I am very surprised.

-What made you decide to become an artist?

I'm embarrassed to say that I'm far from being an artist, but I think I just love writing. When I was a student, I wanted to be a calligraphy teacher at a high school, but I changed my mind and managed to continue writing while working as a company employee when I was single. The biggest reason I've been able to continue writing this far is because I've been blessed with good teachers and friends since my student days, and an understanding family.

What made you decide to apply this time?

I've been a resident of Kanagawa Prefecture for nine years now, so I'm a little sad to say this, but I only recently found out about the Kanagawa Prefectural Art Exhibition, so I submitted my work to it for the first time last year. At first, I was really casual about it. I was selected to enter the exhibition last year as well, and I remember there being a wide variety of works on display, and it was very fulfilling.

-Please tell us about the concept of your work and the thoughts you put into it while creating it.

My son is now four and a half years old and loves trains, so he has become a train lover and I am becoming a train mom. I am looking for a way to collaborate between trains and calligraphy, and this work is part of that. In an interview with Sawako Agawa, the writer who gave the Nozomi Shinkansen its name, I learned that her father had given her advice that "all of the Japanese National Railways trains have been named in Japanese," so I thought I would choose a waka poem with the name of my son's favorite Shinkansen in it and write it in kana on a fan-shaped piece of paper. Due to the size of the frame and paper, I could only fit the East Japan version, so I gave it this title (laughs).

-What was the thing you paid the most attention to and what were the difficulties you faced?

I experimented with the balance of the placement of the fan faces, the number of sheets, etc. This time, I tried to keep the number of colors to a minimum, aiming for a simple and casual look.
I was wondering whether to use yellow-green paper for the mint green background, but in the end, after asking my husband, we decided on this color, saying, "Let's be adventurous!" The overlapping fan surfaces of the second and third tiers are surrounded by a silver border (fukurin/line) so that the outline can be seen.

-Please tell us about your upcoming activities and future goals.

The classical kana used to write waka and haiku is an important part of Japanese culture, but in the future I would like to create works from a mother's perspective and incorporate collaborations between railways and calligraphy, and do things that only I can do now. Calligraphy is considered difficult to get into, but I am currently actively working on the harmonious style (a mix of kanji and kana) that anyone can read, and I would like to enjoy creating works that people can feel close to, like paintings.

-Please give a message to everyone aiming to apply next year!

I know that someone like me can't really say anything arrogant, but... I think you will be overwhelmed by the many wonderful works on display at the venue, but I hope you will enjoy creating your work until the very end.

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Shoko Ueda
Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/shoko0621555/)

・Career summary, awards, etc.
Born in 1985 in Kumamoto Prefecture, currently living in Kanagawa Prefecture
2008 Graduated from Daito Bunka University, received the Itabashi Cultural Encouragement Award
Selected for the Nitten Exhibition twice
Yomiuri Calligraphy Association Secretary
Japanese Calligraphy Exhibition: Selected Artists
Calligraphy Koyokai Board Member
Studied under Professor Naomi Hara

Photography category: Yuya Etori

"Alone in the Mountains"

- Congratulations on winning the grand prize. Please tell us how you feel now.

I am very pleased that our ongoing efforts are producing results.

-What made you decide to become an artist?

It all started with me wanting to confront myself through photography, and to have many people see the correspondence between the natural scenery I see and the scenery I imagine in my mind through my photographs.

What made you decide to apply this time?

I saw the judges' announcement on social media and decided to apply with the intention of taking on the challenge and seeing whether my approach would be accepted from an artistic perspective.

-Please tell us about the concept of your work and the thoughts you put into it while creating it.

The title Alone in the Mountains applies not only to this work, but also to a series of photographs that I saw and took while climbing mountains.
Among them, the work submitted this time is a photograph that vividly expresses the feelings one has while climbing a mountain.
Even though it may feel tough - shouldering heavy filming equipment, forcing yourself to lift your legs, putting yourself in extreme conditions of your own volition, and having to keep climbing endlessly - the reason you continue climbing is none other than because the scenery you see on the mountain is beautiful.
This work captures the correspondence between this mental image and the scene before the viewer's eyes, and expresses the feeling of continuing to move forward even when the future is unclear.

-What was the thing you paid the most attention to and what were the difficulties you faced?

This photo was taken in a snowy mountain. The biggest hurdle was carrying my equipment, including a medium-format film camera, to the location. I went on numerous mountain climbing trips to the Northern Alps to take this photo, and trained hard beforehand.
Because my subject is natural landscapes, I believe it is important to make repeated attempts to obtain a depiction that I am satisfied with, and sometimes to leave it up to luck.The point I was most particular about was that I arrived at this result after several years of uncompromising mountain climbing, returning home to develop the film and checking the results.

-Please tell us about your upcoming activities and future goals.

I shoot throughout the year on multiple projects.
I would like to continue these projects, including "Solo Mountain Journey," for which I received the award this time, "Hokkaido," which links the scenery of my hometown with past memories, and "In the Mist," which captures the obscured scenery in the mist, while also finding new perspectives and continuing to take photographs for the rest of my life.
"Mountaineering Self-Advancement" and "Hokkaido" received awards, so from now on I would like to work hard to achieve results with "In the Mist" and continue my efforts from new perspectives.

-Please give a message to everyone aiming to apply next year!

Don't be intimidated, just submit work that captures your unique perspective.
Continuity is the hardest part. Please keep going even if you don't see results. Let's do our best together.

"profile"
Yuya Etori

・Career summary, awards, etc.
Biography
Born in Hokkaido in 1989
Graduated from Otaru University of Commerce in 2011
Awards
44th Funabashi City Photo Exhibition, Kitai Kazuo Award
Exhibition
2021 Solo Exhibition "Friction reflection"
2022 Solo Exhibition "Hokkaido"

At the Kanagawa Prefectural Gallery, 312 winning and selected works were selected through a rigorous screening process.
The exhibits will be divided into two periods: the first exhibition (flat and three-dimensional works) and the second exhibition (crafts, calligraphy, and photography).

1st Exhibition (2D and 3D Art Section) September 6th (Wed) - September 17th (Sun)
2nd Exhibition (Crafts, Calligraphy, Photography) September 20th (Wed) - October 1st (Sun)
Venue: Kanagawa Prefectural Hall Gallery
Time: 10:00-18:00 *14:00 on the last day