Founded in 1965, the Kanagawa Prefectural Art Exhibition is the prefecture's largest public art exhibition. It is held as a forum for art enthusiasts active in a variety of fields to inspire each other and foster new talent, with the aim of providing an opportunity to present their works.

This year, 1,272 outstanding works were submitted from all over the country, and after a rigorous screening process, the Grand Prize winners were selected in each of the four categories: 2D/3D, Crafts, Calligraphy, and Photography. We spoke to the four Grand Prize winners.

Planar and 3D Division Mr. Rin
"The Gap Where Lightning Strikes"

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

I'm so grateful to the judges who chose my work. I actually missed the call from the Kanagawa Prefectural Art Exhibition on the day. I saw the email that I'd won the Grand Prize. I was in tears.
I had mixed emotions after winning the award. I am very grateful to the Kanagawa Prefectural Art Exhibition for giving me this valuable opportunity. I recalled my experience studying abroad in Japan and felt glad that I had chosen to persist with my dreams even when I had failed. Afterwards, I told my parents about the award and told them that the prize money would go towards my art university tuition fees. I also told my teacher, Osamu Obi, who had helped me so far about my good result.
I am truly grateful to the Kanagawa Prefectural Art Exhibition and the judges who selected my work.

-What made you decide to become an artist?

I am currently an international student at an art university. At first, it was simply because I loved painting. I attended a foreign language school in high school, and that's when I first discovered Japanese painting. It's quiet, but it's filled with beautiful human emotions, and as an introverted person, I longed to study in Japan.
Since coming to Japan, my entrance exam studies have not gone well, and I have never been accepted into the school of my choice. As an introvert, I find it difficult to express my strengths in front of others, and I have thought about giving up along the way. The reason I wanted to quit art was because of the bitter experience of failure. It's not that I no longer wanted to paint. At the time, I just wanted to escape from the fear of failing.
I know I still love drawing, so I applied to several schools and, if I passed one, I could continue drawing. My creative work after entering art school also slowly emerged from the shadow of failure. I took a stint as a ronin, entered a new art school a year later, and finally transferred to my preferred school two years later. I hope that in the future, I will have the potential to become a real artist.

What made you decide to apply this time?

My previous art university was in Kanagawa Prefecture, and I learned about the Kanagawa Prefectural Art Exhibition from a poster at school.
It's a large-scale, long-established exhibition that I've always admired. I participated last year and was selected. Since entering a new art university, I've enjoyed researching techniques and materials. This year's work is completely different from last year's.
I am particularly interested in Mizusawa Tsutomu. I have previously read his writings in art magazines, but this was the first time I had heard of his name in a piece about Japanese spiritualism. I have had a deep passion for traditional Asian mysticism since I was a child, and when I saw Mizusawa Tsutomu's name on the judging panel, I was intrigued.

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

My current work is basically about my own fantasies. I want to incorporate Asian folklore and traditional culture into my fantasies and express new values that fit with modern society through my own ideas. I mainly use tempera as my painting material.
Lightning strikes are often accompanied by supernatural phenomena, and in this painting, spirits unwilling to leave the ruined castle await the destroyed land. When I painted this piece, I was thinking about the romantic Asian view of life and death, and how ghosts have their own emotions.
When I first arrived in Japan, I saw houses surrounded by cemeteries. Japanese people believe that in this way, deceased elders can bless the living. It seems that the deceased still have a strong connection with the living, and the boundary between life and death is becoming increasingly blurred.

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

When it comes to fantasy works, I think it's important to feel what comes from your heart.
The times when I feel it's hard are probably when I don't have enough time. There is a time limit for each free assignment at school, and once the time is up it's difficult to finish the picture. Right now, I'm still struggling within the school rules.

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

My goal is to become an artist. I plan to have my first solo exhibition next year. I will continue to paint from now on.
As for the future, I will continue to research techniques and materials, and create fantastical works related to traditional Asian folk culture. I would like to express my sincere gratitude for the valuable opportunity to participate in the 59th Kanagawa Prefectural Art Exhibition.

-Please give us a message for everyone who is aiming to apply next year.

We believe that the Kanagawa Prefectural Art Exhibition will connect strangers and create possibilities for the future.

"profile"

Rin

[Brief biography]
Born in Chongqing, China
Studied in Japan after graduating from high school
2020 Admission to Kobe Design University
2021 Admission to Joshibi University of Art and Design
2023 Musashino Art University 2nd year transfer
[Exhibition]
2022 18th Kirishima Art Award Exhibition, Kirishima Cultural Association Award, Kokubu Civic Center
2022 General Category Special Prize Traveling Exhibition / Former Tanaka Family Villa
2022 33rd Mihama Art Exhibition Selected / Navias Lifelong Learning Center, Mihama Town, Fukui Prefecture
2023 Kunitachi City 3 Gallery Joint Project "Tsunagu Exhibition" / Art Space 88
2023 Selected for the 58th Kanagawa Prefectural Art Exhibition / Kanagawa Prefectural Hall Gallery
2023 Over REV. Asian International Student Artist Exchange Exhibition / The Artcomplex Center of Tokyo ACT
2023 Musashino Art University, Oil Painting Department, 2nd year, advanced production, Kabayama Yukazu Award / Campus
2024 MUSABI Open Campus Selected Student Exhibition / Campus

Crafts: Aimi Washino
"moment"

-Congratulations on winning the Grand Prize. Please tell us how you feel right now.
　
I am very happy. As an artist, it makes me happy to have my work recognized, and it gives me confidence in my future work.

-What made you decide to become an artist?
　
I think it's thanks to the support of my family.
　
What made you decide to apply this time?
　
It all started when I saw the open call page about 10 years ago when I was a university student. Being from Kanagawa Prefecture, I had always wanted to apply. I had just completed a major piece of work myself, so I decided to apply this time.
　
-Please tell us about the concept of the work and the thoughts you put into it while creating it.
　
This piece was named "Instant Moment" after the image of a moment during hunting. It is a marquetry sculpture that depicts the flight of an owl with a sharp gaze fixed on its prey.

-What were the things you focused on the most and the things you struggled with?
　
The focus was on expressing the marquetry of the feathers. We used the marquetry technique to create the pattern of the owl's feathers by layering pieces of wood less than 1mm thick. The most difficult part was hollowing out the inside of the body to give it a light feel. We worked hard to express the lightness of the owl even in the parts that cannot be seen.
　
-Please tell us about your future activities and goals.
　
As for my future activities, I have always created the works that I wanted to create. Therefore, I would like to see and feel various things and use them in my future creations. As for my future goals, as an artist from Kanagawa Prefecture, I would like to be active both in Japan and overseas.
　
-Please give us a message for those who are aiming to apply next year.
　
The Kanagawa Prefectural Art Exhibition has also become a nationwide open call exhibition, with no age restrictions and larger works than before, so I think it's an open call exhibition where you can create as many of the things you like as you like and have others see them.

"profile"

Ami Washino

HP: https://manamiwashino.com
Campfire: https://community.camp-fire.jp/projects/view/655527
X: https://x.com/manamiwashino
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/manamiwashino/

[Brief biography]
Born in November 1992 in Yokohama, Kanagawa Prefecture
April 2012: Enrolled in the Design Department of Tokyo University of the Arts
March 2018: Graduated from the Tokyo University of the Arts Graduate School of Fine Arts, Department of Design, Space and Design Laboratory
April 2018: Part-time lecturer at Chiba University, Faculty of Engineering, Department of Integrated Engineering, Design Course
Currently an Education and Research Assistant at the Department of Design, Tokyo University of the Arts
[Awards]
2016 64th Tokyo University of the Arts Graduation/Complete Works Exhibition Tokyo University of the Arts Heisei Art Award
2016 MITSUKOSHI x Tokyo University of the Arts Design Competition Art & Creation Design Award Audience Award
2017: Honorable Mention, "Snow Design Award" by Nakaya Ukichiro Snow Science Museum, Kaga City, Ishikawa Prefecture
2018: 66th Tokyo University of the Arts Graduation Exhibition, Taito Ward Mayor's Encouragement Award
[Major exhibition history]
January 2016, 64th Tokyo University of the Arts Graduation Exhibition, Tokyo Metropolitan Art Museum
June 2016, Heisei Memorial Museum Gallery "Tokyo University of the Arts Heisei Art Award Winning Artists Exhibition: Great Artists of the Future"
July 2016, Aoyama Spiral "Kurasu: An Experiment in Spatial Design"
August 2016: Special venue in front of the escalator on the first floor of the new Nihonbashi Mitsukoshi building, "MITSUKOSHI x Tokyo University of the Arts Design Competition Art & Creation Design Award"
January 2018, 66th Tokyo University of the Arts Graduation Exhibition, Tokyo University of the Arts Museum, 3rd floor
February 2018 Seibu Shibuya Store B Building 8th Floor Art Gallery “Tokyo University of the Arts 130th Anniversary ARTS AFFAIR OF GEIDAI”
April 2018 Aoyama Spiral 3rd floor SICF19
May 2018, Shinjuku Isetan 5th floor art gallery
June 2018, Shinjuku Isetan 5th floor art gallery
August 2018, Nihonbashi Mitsukoshi Main Store, Main Building 6th Floor, Art Floor, MITSUKOSHI x Tokyo University of the Arts Summer Art Festival 2018
August 2018: Solo exhibition at the 6th floor art gallery of Nihonbashi Mitsukoshi Main Store
February 2019: Ginza Mitsukoshi 7th floor Japan Edition Seizan Gallery permanent space
May 2019: Moto Exhibition at Aoyama Spiral Garden (Tokyo University of the Arts & Alumni)
May 2019 Shibuya Hikarie 8th floor CUBE1,2,3/Gallery MONSTER Exhibition
August 2019, Paris Exhibition Galerie Grand E'Terna Paris
October 2019 Hoshino Resorts OMO Tokyo Otsuka Base OMO Base Base Solo Exhibition
October 2021: Solo exhibition at the Wild Bird Society of Japan Nishi-Gotanda Office (Foundation Secretariat) "Ko-tori no Ichi"
April 2023 Jingumae TIERS GALLERY
September 2023 New York City Blue Gallery
November 2023 BAG -Brillia Art Gallery

Calligraphy by Yukiaki Kataoka
"Li He Poetry"

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

Thank you very much. I feel a sense of responsibility for receiving this award. At the same time, I feel a surge of gratitude towards my teacher and fellow calligraphers.

-What made you decide to become an artist?

I started learning calligraphy as a form of culture, and when I reached an age where I thought I was at the halfway point of the 100-year lifespan, I decided to devote myself to calligraphy.
I wanted to live a life that I could say I was "dedicated" to.

What made you decide to apply this time?

When the art exhibition became open to the whole country, I gave up on applying because of the high hurdles. Then someone encouraged me to apply, and a few years ago I started trying again. I think this is a valuable calligraphy exhibition where you can see a variety of calligraphy styles all in one place.

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

The golden dragon and bat motifs on the bright yellow dyed paper are reminiscent of the Chinese emperor. I wanted to express characters that have the same vibrancy and strength as the plaques in the Forbidden City, the residence of the emperor.

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

I asked the mounting shop to wait until the very last minute. I put a lot of effort into writing the main text of the work, but what I paid the most attention to was stamping the signature seal at the end after I finished writing the work. I was unsure about the color of the seal to press on the bright yellow paper. The size of the seal, the position where it should be pressed, and how much ink was applied. These are also part of the work.

-Please tell us about your future activities and goals.
I would like to continue to enjoy the scent of ink as I have done up until now. I would like to project the shape of the characters I have in my heart through my brush and refine them into works of art with dignity.

-Please give us a message for those who are aiming to apply next year.

The appeal of the Kanagawa Prefectural Art Exhibition is that the judges include non-calligraphers, such as critics and curators. Please create your own work based on your own idea of "I would like to write like this."

"profile"

Yukiaki Kataoka

[Brief biography]
Born in Yokohama in 1960
Mainichi Calligraphy Exhibition Judging Committee Member
Touhou Calligraphy Institute Doujin
Councillor of the Asakishokai
Director of Higashihara Calligraphy Association
Kanagawa Calligrapher Club Member
Teacher: Ikoma Ranko

[Awards]
Selected for the Nitten Exhibition
Mainichi Calligraphy Exhibition Member's Award

Photo by Yu Agan
"Ava"

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

I was truly surprised when I received the news that I had won the Grand Prize. First of all, I would like to express my deepest gratitude to the judges. I would also like to express my gratitude to my graduate school supervisor, Professor Yoshinori Marui, who gave me a lot of advice on selecting and editing the works.

-What made you decide to become an artist?

I love taking photos, and I chose to pursue a career in photography because I wanted to observe and experience the many beautiful and interesting things in the world through photography.

What made you decide to apply this time?

Actually, last year, Professor Obara, who was a judge for the photography category, invited me to apply, but I didn't apply because I lacked confidence. This year, I wanted to take on a new challenge, so I mustered up the courage to apply.

-Please tell us about the concept of the work and the thoughts you put into it while creating it.
The work "Aba" is a collection of photographs taken in my hometown deep in the mountains of China. Since I was a child, I left the mountains to continue my studies and lived in a big city, but every time I returned to my hometown, I found healing in my soul. I wanted to express the beauty and richness of my hometown through my photographs.

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

These are film photos taken on a winter plateau, and I adjusted the colors multiple times to create an overall pure white impression, and adjusted the highlights as much as possible to prevent them from being blown out. After carefully considering what kind of photos I wanted to show, I placed photos of natural landscapes and photos expressing religious themes on the left and right, and connected them in the middle with portraits that represent human life.

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

I would like to continue taking photographs while looking at the beautiful things around me.

-Please give us a message for everyone who is aiming to apply next year.

The judges will provide various comments and valuable opinions, so please apply.

"profile"

Yu Akan

instagram: https://www.instagram.com/yuagan/
[Brief biography]
1995 Born in Sichuan, China
2018 Arrival in Japan
2022 Tokyo Polytechnic University Research Student
Currently enrolled in the Graduate School of Art and Design at Tokyo Polytechnic University

[Award]
APA AWARD 2024 Selected