Idemitsu Art Award 2022 Grand Prix Winner Interview
I want to draw “lines” and “surfaces” that arise unintentionally in daily life.
Idemitsu Art Award 2022 Grand Prix Mai Takeshita
The “Shell Art Award”, a public exhibition sponsored by Idemitsu Kosan for two-dimensional works by young artists under the age of 40, was renamed the “Idemitsu Art Award” from 2022. While inheriting the identity of the historic Shell Art Prize, which was founded in 1956, we will continue to support young artists with the aim of “transferring the energy of young talents to the energy of society”.
This year, the 51st year, the number of applications has increased significantly from last year, and Mai Takeshita's “Dancing in the Sentakumono Basket” won the grand prize out of 860 works submitted by 650 people. Mr. Takeshita was born in Shimane Prefecture in 1999, and currently lives in Kyoto Prefecture, having just graduated from the Department of Art and Design at Saga University of Art and Design in March of this year. Ahead of the “Idemitsu Art Award Exhibition 2022”, where this year's award-winning and selected works will be exhibited at the National Art Center, Tokyo from December 14th, we spoke to Takeshita about the award-winning works and future productions.
Using various techniques to draw overlapping clothes made of different materials
─ Congratulations on winning the “Idemitsu Art Award 2022” Grand Prix. Please tell us why you applied for this award.
I heard about the (former) Shell Art Award from my professor at Saga Art University, and have applied twice in the past. I was attracted to the fact that Japanese paintings were judged in the same two-dimensional field as oil paintings, regardless of genre. I have applied to other competitions for students, but this is the first time I have won an award, so I am very happy.
─ What is the concept behind the award-winning work?
My theme is to extract lines and planes from motifs I find in everyday life, and I work every day thinking about the possibility of something interesting that I didn't intend to appear on the screen. This time, as laundry piles up in the basket in my daily life, I suddenly find it interesting that clothes made of various materials can be seen as lines and planes, so I started drawing them. This time, I think I was able to produce with a clearer concept in mind than usual.
─ Please tell us about the process of how you created it.
I prepared several motifs of laundry and baskets and drew several sketches. I didn't just depict the laundry at that particular time like in the photo, but I spent about half a month making many sketches and drawings, and put them together through trial and error. Since it is shaped like a basket with gaps, I thought it would be an interesting screen composition where the inside and outside intersect as the laundry goes in and out. It took about a month to start working on this piece, and it took a total of one and a half months to complete.
─ As the title of your work, “Dancing in the Basket of Sentakumono”, suggests “dancing”, are there also lines that appear unconsciously as you wave your brush in a daze?
The lines I draw don't always turn out exactly as I imagined them, so as I'm engrossed in drawing, I try to make use of the lines that turn out the way I wanted, or even if they don't turn out the way I thought they would. did. I have also left some lines that were successfully drawn in one shot.
Grand Prix winning work “Dancing in the Sentakumono Basket”
2022 162x140cm Japanese painting, mineral pigments, suiboshi pigments, glue, foil, linen canvas
─ When you look at the work up close, you can see the brush strokes of the paint, the density and white space of the lines, and the various painting methods all working together, and you can enjoy the mysterious texture that can be called modern Japanese painting.
yes. At first, I found it interesting how clothing made of different materials overlapped, and I cherished that fresh feeling until the end. I think it's nice to have a variety of things together, such as shirts made of crisp fabric, detailed patterns, and clothing made of smooth, soft materials. In order to add strength and weakness to the screen, the right side is drooping, and the left side is a place where I can concentrate while experimenting, so I purposely use different touches for each drawing.
─ The height of your work is the maximum height specified, and it is much larger than the actual laundry basket. Was there any intention behind making it this size? Also, do you usually draw large-sized works like this?
I thought the lines and surfaces of the laundry could be expressed more clearly on a larger screen. Since it's so big, I thought I could play around with the detailed depictions, so I drew it in enlarged form. Even in my daily work, I often express motifs in a form larger than the actual thing.
─ It's a painting that is both figurative and abstract.
yes. When I first found this subject, I had a feeling that I would be able to enjoy drawing it until the end, but there were times during the production where I wasn't sure if this was the right way to express it or if the work would be completed. When I was unsure, I would reconsider the concept.
Various clothing items are drawn rhythmically. It's hard to tell from the photo, but
The screen is filled with detailed patterns and lines drawn with gold leaf, so you won't get tired of looking at it.
─ Where did you get lost?
At first, I went for vivid colors and a sleeker shape, so it didn't look like it was overflowing. I thought that would be fine as I drew it, but while I was drawing it, I started to wonder if it was okay. However, as I washed and layered the colors, I found a color combination that suited me, and was able to match the shapes and draw the lines comfortably, and was able to have fun completing the drawing until the end.
─ I'm looking forward to exhibiting it at the “Idemitsu Art Award Exhibition 2022” to be held at the National Art Center, Tokyo. Are there any points of appreciation that you would like visitors to see?
I use mineral pigments, and the roughness varies from very rough to matte, and I was able to create different expressions in different parts, as if to match the fabric and texture of the clothing. I also used gold leaf, and I think I was able to express a variety of textures, so I would be happy if the viewers enjoyed the variety of expressions.
If you look closely, you can see the texture of the paint and the richness of the brush strokes.
The merits of Japanese painting materials and the possibilities of expression
─ Could you tell us about your motivation for going to art school and why you chose Japanese painting?
I have loved drawing since I was a child, and when I was thinking that I would like to go to an art university, I had the opportunity to see Japanese paintings by contemporary artists at an art museum in my hometown, Shimane Prefecture. I found out that there is a genre called Japanese painting, which is interesting because the art medium is different from oil painting, and as I researched it, I decided to major in Japanese painting. I transferred from Saga Art College to the four-year Saga Art University Faculty of Art Department of Art and Design, where I was able to learn from a variety of teachers.
─ Why did you decide to continue painting Japanese paintings as a painter after graduation?
As I majored in Japanese painting and studied it, I realized that Japanese painting materials had a great quality of materials and a wide range of expressions that I wanted to try. Since I entered the school, I have been able to use everything in my daily life for painting, so it was a four-year period where I absorbed a lot of new things. Also, since I have lived in Kyoto since my university days, I have had more opportunities to see exhibitions by various artists outside of Japan. When you go out into the streets of Kyoto, you can meet many different people and objects, and be inspired by creativity.
─ In addition to the award-winning works, what other kinds of works have you drawn?
Recently, there have been works depicting how flowers wither and change shape. The same motif is used to depict a flower that used to stand upright, but wither and lose its shape, while the original shape remains. I also want to draw a different shape for the laundry motif.
─ Do you usually look for subjects for paintings in your daily life?
For the past two or three years, I haven't been able to go out to look for motifs due to the coronavirus pandemic, and since I've been staying at home all the time, I think I've started to notice the little things. Things like laundry, withering flowers, and wrinkles in the sheets after sleeping. I think I have laid the foundation for the concept of depicting the interesting things that have arisen or changed without my intervention.
─ By painting subjects that you discover in your daily life, you may not only be able to create paintings, but also enrich your own life.
I agree. I think it was a good way to choose a motif because it becomes fun when you find something interesting.
─ Have you ever thought about “drawing Japanese paintings in modern times”?
Nowadays, there are some Japanese painters who paint abstractly, and I believe that just like the history of painting, where various styles have evolved, Japanese painting will continue to change. I happened to come across Japanese painting and started painting because I thought it was a good idea, but I believe that there are still many possibilities for expression using Japanese painting materials.
Even if you get lost. It is important to finish the drawing until completion.
─ If you live outside of the Tokyo metropolitan area, I think there may be hurdles such as shipping costs for applying to art exhibitions and not being able to visit exhibition venues in Tokyo in advance. On the other hand, this time the application fee is now free for those under 25 years of age. What was it like for you, 23-year-old Takeshita, who lives in Kyoto?
Since the delivery location is often Tokyo, you may find yourself burdened by the shipping costs. You need to manage both the production schedule and the money in anticipation of collection. However, Kyoto has good access to Tokyo, so I don't think it will be that difficult. If you imagine operating in a more distant prefecture or an area with poor transportation and logistics, wouldn't it be more expensive? In such an environment, I was grateful for the "Idemitsu Art Award" and the entry fee was free for those under 25 years of age. Although I wasn't able to do it this time, it will also allow me to make one more item, so if I can make two items at the same time and can't decide which one to use, I can send out both, which expands my options. hey.
─ How would you like to pursue your career as a writer in the future?
I have not yet had the experience of holding a solo exhibition, so I would like to continue to work energetically with the goal of holding a solo exhibition within the next year. I want to improve the strength of my work while digging deeper into what I want to draw. I would like a variety of people to see my work.
─ Please give a message to those who are thinking of applying next time.
I hope you don't give up on drawing halfway. Because you don't have an answer, you may feel anxious while drawing and feel like trying to draw another picture, but I want to tell you that it is important to finish the drawing. is. Personally, I believe that completing one thing is the next step and allows me to grow.
First appearance: Contest information site “Toryumon” Text: Yuri Shirasaka Photos: Provided by Idemitsu Kosan Editing: Kaori Inose (JDN)