“Japanese National Art Journey in Saitama” came to a successful conclusion thanks to the support and participation of many.
This time, we spoke to Masaaki Toyoyoshi, who won the runner-up grand prize, about his daily life and works.
- Congratulations on winning the runner-up!
Q． Please let us know if you have any thoughts or themes behind the works exhibited this time.
- The work exhibited this time is one of the series "Monocle Vision" that I am creating. I am visually impaired and can barely see out of my left eye, so I see things differently than sighted people. ``Perspective confusion'' where things that are far away appear close and vice versa, and ``visual hallucinations'' where you see things that are not there. Because they cannot recognize the finer details of things, they may even mistake the gender of the person who is speaking unless they hear the voice of the person speaking. This series is created to express my "invisible vision". Since I couldn't see the traffic lights when crossing the crosswalk, I asked myself, "Where is the traffic light?" During the day, it appears white and hazy, resulting in "blurred vision." etc. Since there are some colors that cannot be seen, until April last year, all of my works were produced in black and white. Taking the opportunity of holding my first solo exhibition in April, I have started working on color works, and this "Easy to Stain Vision" is a work that uses color as the main theme of expression. The works exhibited this time were taken in Spain. Unlike Japan, the buildings over there were about 3 or 4 stories high, so the sky seemed much wider. Also, the blue color leaves a strong impression on me, perhaps because the daylight hours are different. Also, since it was an old town, there were many historic buildings, so we placed emphasis on expressing a different flavor from that of Tokyo.
Q． Although it was a digital work exhibited this time, it was a very attractive work because of the vividness of the colors and the different impressions when viewed from a distance and up close. Do you usually create works in this style? I am also very concerned about the production process and the time it takes to complete it.
- I usually work in this style when creating works. To create the work, I first write down what I experienced and what I saw at the place where I had the visual experience. Afterwards, I took several photos and checked them when I got home. After developing this, I layer the selected images on top of each other to create a work that reproduces the content and visual experience I took notes on. If everything goes well, it can be completed in a few hours, but in some cases it can take more than a year. The Spanish work takes more than two years from filming to production. Additionally, as we are changing the paper we use for printing, it is no longer unusual for exhibits to take several months to produce.
Q． It seems that you were previously active in a field different from the art field, but what led you to create works using digital tools like you do now?
- I originally worked as a system engineer at an IT company in Tokyo. I loved making things and I loved computers, but I had to quit my job because my eyesight deteriorated. After that, various things happened, and my eyes got worse, and I ended up having to undergo surgical treatment, which was the direct trigger. I have summarized the background to this issue as a contribution, which is posted here, so please refer to it if you wish.
Q． You have had a variety of experiences so far, such as creating portraits of pianists and appearing on TV programs. What is the most memorable thing you have done while creating your work?
- There are many things, but "If you don't give up, there are things you can do." After my eye condition worsened and I had my first surgery, there was a time when I felt hopeless because the results were not good and I thought, ``I'm just not going to be able to see any more.'' Due to various connections, I started to focus on photography, but when I first started working on it, it received poor reviews. However, as we continued to produce and gained success, the number of people who supported us and understood us increased. In the first place, I couldn't even take decent photos because I couldn't see the focal point when taking pictures. However, I am able to continue producing works by being creative with the equipment I use and the way I produce them. All of these are experiences that I would not have had if I had given up on them and said, ``I can't do it anymore.''
Q． Please let us know if there are any parts of your work that you are particularly particular about or would like to see.
- There are many different aspects to this, but we have incorporated various elements so that you can see it from multiple perspectives. The most important aspects of photographic work are the shooting technique and location. I don't think it's obvious because I'm destroying the shapes and colors of things, but I always try to leave parts that represent the location. In terms of photography techniques (multiple exposure), I think it would be interesting if you could guess how many photos are used. Since some details are left behind, if you look closely, you may see unexpected things. On the other hand , there are some elements that give a different impression when viewed from a distance . Also, since it reproduces the way I normally see, I also intend for people to see how it might look if glaucoma progresses. In addition to focusing on the details of color and shape, I also keep in mind the meaning of disease awareness, so I would like people to see these meanings in multiple ways. I believe that diversity is one of the strengths of artwork.
- Masaaki Toyoyoshi, thank you for your cooperation in this semi-Grand Prix interview. We are looking forward to your future activities!
- I'm the one who should be thanking you! This year, we exceeded our goal of 12 , which was better than being selected , and we will continue to do our best next year. Thank you very much for your support.
Visibility that is easily colored 2.16
Work details page
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Artist details page