Today, we spoke to Kazuhiro Asami, who is based in Tokyo and continues to be active as an outsider artist, having been selected and won prizes in various public exhibitions, and holding solo exhibitions.
First of all, what made you start drawing?
While I was in the psychiatric isolation room, I had nothing to do and had some free time, so I read manga and women's magazines and drew pictures. Even after I was finally transferred from isolation to the general ward, hospital staff found me drawing mischievously on the walls of my room or something, and they told me, ``If you want to draw so much, why don't you enter an art brut competition?'' It all started when I was invited. I got selected, but the people around me were happy, so I got carried away and submitted my work to the grand prize exhibition held at the Ueno Tokyo Metropolitan Museum of Art in the same year.When it was selected again, I thought, ``Oh, let's do something with my own paintings.'' It was the moment when I made a vague decision.
What made you decide to work as an outsider artist?
Now that I think about it, it was a naive idea to jump on the bandwagon of Art Brut, which was becoming popular around the time I started painting (lol), and hope it would stand out. I even had outsider artist Kazuhiro Asami on my business card. Now, on the contrary, I don't really appeal to myself as an outsider, and I don't think it's good for me to be treated as an outsider because of my art, so I don't write it on my business card and just answer when asked.
Comparing your past and present work styles, are there any changes? Please tell us how you came to your current style.
Before I became independent as a painter, I used to draw at least several pictures a day (partly because I liked it), and it was a process of trial and error until I found the tools that suited me. From this point on, my style of painting has changed from then to now due to repeated trial and error, but the range of my art has expanded since I began to create my own analog works using the iPad Pro at the same time as digital art. I did.
You are challenged with various expressions!
By the way, is there anything you keep in mind when creating your works?
It's about drawing all the way to the end without giving up, and drawing in freestyle without making any drafts.
Please let me know if there are any techniques you are good at when creating your own works.
This is a twirling abstract painting lol
Where do you usually get inspiration for your work?
I've never been conscious of it, but I remember the fun memories I had from when I was little, the summer vacation I spent at my mother's parents' house surrounded by nature, the troubles and anxieties of adolescence, my high school life, the ridiculousness of my university life, and Above all, I believe that thoughts born from the daily suffering of a battle with schizophrenia that has continued for more than 20 years are mixed together and unconsciously appear in my art.
Are there any expressions or themes you would like to try in the future?
I'm not good at beautiful things like Love & Peace, so my immediate goal is to see how well my paintings will be appreciated in the future. I want to be an artist who makes people think, ``Ah, that's the person who drew this picture.'' Do you respect Ebisu Yoshiyuki ^_^
Do you have any interests or hobbies other than art?
I like clothes. I feel like my late grandmother's blood is flowing through me lol
Right now, I can't buy what I like right away, but someday I'd like to do something like, "Give me everything from here to here." ^_^
Thank you for responding so far!
Lastly, please give a message to everyone viewing FROM ARTIST.
My art is by no means good, but it may be presumptuous and resonates with just one person out of 10 or 100 people who see it, but it is art that can ease the loneliness and suffering of that one person, and vice versa. I want to create art that even the slightest of people who look at it can enjoy. I would appreciate it if you would continue to take care of me.
Introducing the works featured on FROMARTIST
Title of work: dreaming
Details page URL: https://from-artist.com/products/dreaming
List of works: https://from-artist.com/collections/%E6%B5%85%E6%B5%B7-%E5%92%8C%E5%BA%83