Interview: Takuya Mizukami
Luca Curci talks with Takuya Mizukami during BODYSPACES, first appointment of CANVAS ART FAIR 2023, at THE LINE Contemporary Art Space.

The theme of the works is “oneness”. What should humans do to leave a beautiful earth for our descendants 200 years from now? aren’t you? I want to appeal by depicting the brilliance of the lives of living things. My own tea-ink that I made is an art material that sets me free. Draw a line with tea-ink on the water-based chalk. I mainly color with oil paint, but I consider whether to leave the first line to the end, erase it, or add it. Exploring the possibilities of expression using natural pigments, soil, graphite, etc.

ONENESS・・・Being one. Animals, flowers, insects, people
There are only one lives living on one earth. child 200 years from now
I thought about what we should do to leave a beautiful earth for our grandchildren.
Native American teaching. While SDGs are being called out now,
I was moved by the depth of the wisdom of my predecessors, and since 2012 I have
made it a production theme.

The planet earth of hope –
We have a hope in our earth. We have a hope for mankind. Because we have a mind that sympathizes with others. Because there is a heart that feels delight at the other hearts with its delight. I’d like to listen to the pioneer’s wisdom. I’d like to learn. To have the courage to face new challenges Hope is born when our hearts are free. A goal for the future is born. There is an impression of people. I think that impression is what creates a paradigm shift and evokes the power to move forward. When the world is moved and you can think about others Hope is born on the earth. That’s why I keep drawing. The person who sees my painting becomes a kind heart and the world becomes peaceful. That is my dream.

LUCA CURCI – What’s your background? What is the experience that has influenced your work the most?
TAKUYA MIZUKAMI – Born in 1990. A car accident at the age of 12 changed my life greatly, but my positive desire to draw saved me. I have been presenting my works since my first solo exhibition in 2010. In 2017, I received the top laboratory excellence award at the Kyoto University of the Arts Graduate School Correspondence Education Completion Production Exhibition. Last year, he exhibited 161 works at the “Citizen’s Gallery Sakae Next Generation Artist Exhibition -Inochitoha-” sponsored by the Nagoya Citizen’s Gallery Sakae, Nagoya City Cultural Promotion Organization, and impressed many visitors. The thing that had the greatest impact on my work was the natural science class I took in graduate school. I came across the book “About the Earth” written by geologist Kenichi Harada, which made me able to always think on a global scale. Thinking about my descendants 200 years from now is my standard of judgment. In addition, the black tea ink and reed pen that I encountered in material research gave me freedom in my work. I make my own by adding a steel scrubbing brush to strong black tea, and I always use it by replenishing it. The lines drawn with black tea ink have a difference in color between dark and light areas, and the reddish black makes my lines lively.

LC – Which subject are you working on?
TM – “oneness” = being one. Flowers, insects, animals, and people are just one life living on one earth. Isn’t it just humans taking too much? Are you using it too much? Let’s all think about what we can do to leave a beautiful earth for our descendants 7 generations (200 years from now). In order to convey that, I draw inspiration from “the brilliance of life”, “stratum that conveys messages from ancient times”, and other natural objects. I create with a gaze of love for the greatness of nature and living things.

LC – Where do you find your inspiration?
TM – Inspired by magnificent nature. I actually see beautiful things and lively things and draw them. During my observations, I take a huge amount of photographs and sketches.

LC – What is the most challenging part about creating your artworks?
TM – The most difficult moment is when I start drawing. I put a canvas on the back, apply animal glue, layer after layer of chalk, and then draw the first lines in black tea ink, but I don’t do much drafting. Once I have decided on a rough composition, I usually start from where I feel most strongly. And I think that the very beginning is the most difficult because it affects the whole. And I myself enjoy the tension the most.

LC – Do visitors’ suggestions enrich yourself and your art?
TM – I take the reaction of the visitors calmly. I always work alone, so talking with customers at exhibitions is a valuable opportunity for me to get hints for my next work and learn things I don’t know. Especially if you meet someone who likes the same things, you will hit it off and talk about it even if it’s the first time you’ve met. There may be an item called “people” in my tools, but if someone recommends something based on their favourite things or experiences, I will want to try it myself, and as a result, I will study deeply from there and find my own way. The approach will spread. My dream is to make people who are moved by my paintings feel kinder and bring peace to the world. My work says more than I do.

LC – What do you think about the concept of this festival? In which way did it inspire you?
TM – The festival focuses on the concept of ‘boundary’ between soul and body, human and urban space, city and ground. The theme of my work is ONENESS, which is based on the old Native American idea that people, insects, animals, and flowers are all just one life on the earth. The value of each life is equal, and it is the same as cherishing your descendants seven generations ahead. I always believe that there is truth at the edge of the boundaries of various things, so I am very happy that you have planned an exhibition that focuses on the same thing, and I am enjoying the joy of sharing my thoughts.

LC – Would you suggest a collaboration with us? What do you think about our services?
TM – I would like to thank the ITSLIQUID curators and all the staff for taking notice of my work. And for me, I was blessed with the opportunity to have my work seen by people all over the world. I would be happy if the ITSLIQUID GROUP had a base in Japan as well. I hope that one day I will have the opportunity to exhibit large-scale works in museums in Europe. Also, I would be happy if I had the opportunity to have my work collected in a museum in Europe as part of an ITSLQUID project.

LC – Did you enjoy cooperating with us?
TM – Yes I was very excited. I feel that I was able to communicate with people I have never met through my work. Although I wasn’t able to actually go there, I received a message from someone who loved the work, so I felt that the distance between me and the world was getting closer.