Today, we spoke to Nami Kurokami, who worked as a graphic designer before entering the architecture industry and currently focuses on interior art and product production.
Thank you for accepting the interview today!
Are there any works or memories that made you come into contact with art?
It's my father. Although he was not particularly a painter, he was good with his hands and was good at drawing with precision.
When I was little, he used to make me handmade wooden toy trains, and he drew pictures of birds that looked just like the pictures in picture books.
You've always had a lot of opportunities to experience creative things!
You graduated from an art university and have a background in design and architecture. Please tell us about anything difficult or enjoyable from your university days to now.
In order to enter an art university, it was necessary to obtain a teaching qualification. It seems that her parents were worried that her future options would be limited.
As expected, after entering the university, I enjoyed a meaningful student life immersed in art. However, I entered the workforce without any practical skills, and during my job hunting process, I realized how little my value as a human asset was. of course.
From the company's point of view, it's okay to have a design department, but even if you show me a portfolio of oil paintings, I don't know how it will be useful.
So I thought of changing the target. I created a portfolio that focused on detailed landscape paintings rather than oil paintings, and joined a company specializing in animation background painting. From there, I focused on increasing my value as a human asset, rather than focusing on what I wanted to do.
In order to cover all the areas in which I have the ability and gain practical knowledge, I repeatedly changed jobs to companies related to design and architecture, increasing my skills and experience. The process was always exciting and interesting.
You have gone through various experiences so far to reach your current life.
Are you currently focusing on art activities? Please tell us how and why you started your career as a writer.
I'm not gifted with enough genius to be able to live off art alone. Currently, in addition to my main job as a home renovation designer and product designer, I also work as a design partner for Social Interior Co., Ltd., coordinating furniture and doing graphic design.
I started my career as an artist because I wanted to create art pieces to decorate the spaces I designed. It was right around the time when the coronavirus was spreading, and I think my consciousness was turning from the outside to the inside. Before I knew it, I had created over 30 pieces.
The fact that I can concentrate so much on my work may be due to my past experience and knowledge!
By the way, please tell us about the style of your current work and how you arrived at it.
Good design is wasteful. The same goes for architectural spaces. Art that dominates a space is also attractive, but in my work I try to create works that accent the space but do not become noise. I think this style was achieved because I have the sense of creating a space.
Are there any aspects or themes that you are particular about when creating your works?
Works that give different impressions depending on the viewer's state of mind, such as the scenery of pottery (referring to the patterns created by the glaze used in pottery as it flows over the surface of the pottery, or the scorch marks created during firing). I would like to produce.
The themes I cherish are [nature] and [philosophy].
Where do you get your inspiration for your work?
A beautiful landscape or the beauty of a plant, a poem you read in a book, a casual word from your partner, or the death of someone close to you.
I'm sure you've been used to working with your hands since you were little, but have you noticed any changes in your state of mind or daily life when you compare your past and present self?
About two years ago, I became independent and started living in two locations, one in Kobe and one in Okayama.
Now that I'm only doing the work I want to do, I'm able to spend more time with my partner and cat, which makes me feel at peace.
Do you have any interests or hobbies other than art?
We also design tiles and tea incense burners using Awaji Kawara technology.
My current hobby is cultivating the spores of Bikakushi fern.
Please let us know if you have any goals or plans for future activities!
Realizing a space that I created entirely by myself, from design to interior design and art.
Thank you for joining us for this interview!
Lastly, please give a message to everyone who views FROM ARTIST.
Based on the concept of "never-getting scenic art," he mainly creates abstract paintings that blend in with architectural spaces.
We believe that never-getting = universal beauty, and our motifs are the natural forms hidden in our subconscious, philosophical thinking, and Japanese cultural sensibilities.
We would be happy if you could casually look at it every day as an art piece that blends into your interior.
▪️HP http://www.orthogonal.design/
Finally, we will introduce the works currently published on FROM ARTIST.
Work name: [move]
Work details URL: https://from-artist.com/products/move
List of works: https://from-artist.com/collections/kurokaminami