This time, we spoke to Takahiro Kono, an artist who creates abstract paintings with impressive, vigorous strokes.
Thank you for taking the time to do the artist interview today!
Mr. Kono, have you had many opportunities to come into contact with art?
Please tell us about any artworks or paintings you have seen that have influenced you or that you respect.
Yes, there were a lot.
Cy Twombly, Gerhard Richter, de Kooninck, and Joan Miró left an impression on me.
Many of my influences came from abstract artists! I actually looked into the works, and found that all of them had their own unique personalities...
By the way, when did you start working as an artist? If you have any reasons for starting your career as a writer, please let us know.
I have been active for 25 years. After graduating from a professional university, I had a long slump, and one day when I was casually drawing doodles, I had the idea that I could draw for the rest of my life.
After graduating from a specialized university...I guess you went through a slump around the time you were in your 20s or 30s?
From that time when I was 35 years old to now, my image has changed little by little, but my current style is that I decided to throw away acrylic paints and paint with oil paints, hoping that my works will remain long after my death. I did. I think it's consistent with Abstract Expressionism.
I believe that even after the creator dies, the work will still be loved by fans, so perhaps in a few decades someone will hold an exhibition of the work or the work will be known by more people. …!
Next, let's talk about creating your works. Please let us know if you have any special or favorite techniques.
I cover a broom with a towel, use it as a brush, and use it to dab thick lines, or rather colored surfaces, onto the canvas.
Where do you get inspiration for your daily work?
From your favorite rock music. However, the songs I like are limited, and I feel sad that I can't expect much from young rock music in the future. Once you're in the zone, you can't even hear the music. I just let it fall from the sky, and I don't even think about how I'm going to move my brush next. For now, I can't think of anything other than that one stroke.
As time passes, social trends change rapidly, so it can be difficult.
Comparing yourself before and now, have you noticed any changes in your daily life or state of mind?
I realized that happiness is something you notice. I try to "know when enough is enough" every day. Also, since I have never had a serious problem with income, I realized that the amount of income has no bearing on how I live now.
Personally, I was struck by the phrase that happiness is something you realize. that's a nice word…!
Do you have any interests or hobbies other than art?
I enjoy coffee, jazz, classical music, touring, and occasionally drinking alcohol.
What kind of works do you plan to create in the future? Please let me know what kind of people you would like to see your work.
Tableaus and drawings give me endless ideas, so I feel like I don't have to change my current style, and I enjoy it when changes inevitably occur. From large works to postcard drawings, I draw whatever I feel like. Like Picasso, I want to be someone who can have an impact even on people who aren't interested in painting. I also think that by doing so, my paintings will reach people who love them.
I look forward to seeing many more works from now on!
Lastly, please give a message to everyone who views FROM ARTIST.
The value of my paintings cannot be measured in money. However, I want to use this platform, so as a last resort, I would like to return the platform's share, frame fee, and shipping fee to the person who purchased it. Please understand that this is something I can do as a stepping stone towards a world without money.
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Mr. Kono, thank you very much for your valuable time!
From now on, FROM ARTIST would like to invite various artists as guests and listen to their stories.
We hope this will be an opportunity for you to learn about the works of these artists!
Work name: Karesansui
Work details page: https://from-artist.com/products/karesannsui
Artist details page: https://from-artist.com/collections/kawanotakahiro
Author: Fumitori Tsumugi
FROM ARTIST management staff. We write feature articles and columns, and provide operational support from an artist's perspective.
While I usually teach at a vocational school, I am also active as an artist, holding solo exhibitions and public exhibitions.
Supervisor: Shoma Toida
CEO of BUSCA LLC. FROM ARTIST business manager. Started his career as a marketer, gained experience at a business company and advertising agency, and then became independent. Completed marketing-related programs at multiple graduate schools and business schools, including the University of California, Berkeley and London Business School. He also studied the MBA Core Curriculum at Macquarie University and the importance of art in education at the University of British Columbia.