Thank you very much for those who took interest in our Special Sale held from 1/11-4/11.
We wish our work satisfy those who got it.
Christmas Sale is now planned to be held in December.
Please Check.
When I started painting 2
Last time, I wrote about Mr. Kanazawa, who first taught me how to draw art. I learned some basic techniques from Mr. Kanazawa, while also learning on my own. At the time I did not have money to buy art books, so I borrowed a large number of art books from the prefectural library in Kuki to study them. If any of those art books had paints in them, they were probably the ones I borrowed.
To learn art, you need to master the pattern of the painter. This pattern is different for each artist. First of all, you have to copy the pattern in order to master it. We try to reproduce as faithfully as possible. The shape, the color, the touch and the surface of the painting.
After that, as I mastered various patterns, I was able to improve them. And eventually, you will be able to break away from the molds and create your own worldview.
It was around this time that I was looking for a way to create a mold. At the time, I came across a book titled "The Art School for Thieves" by Yutaka Sasaki in the Kuki library, and I saw it. When I read the book, it described the various artists who had recently been influencing the work of the landlord.
Inspired by this, I decided to go to Yokohama Station to learn from Yutaka Sasaki, who was teaching at the station building. He was a graduate of the oil painting department of the University of the Arts and worked as an assistant at the Tokyo University of the Arts, but he left there because it was too formal and conservative and went on to become a professor of art at Meisei University, which had a more liberal school culture. To be continued.
Translated with www.DeepL.com/Translator (free version)
When I started painting
Today I would like to write about how Takuma Tanaka has learned the techniques of art.
My first encounter with painting and art originally began as a form of rehabilitation after I became mentally exhausted. After that, I became interested in art, and I learned how to paint from Mr. Hideaki Kanazawa at Yuzawaya, an art supply store with several locations in the Kanto area.
He was an accomplished artist who had become a member of the Nika-kai at a young age without using any money or connections at all. At that time, he was one of the junior members of the Nika-kai, a title he held at that time, a friend of the society.
I remember the first time I met Mr. Kanazawa, when I showed him a drawing, he said, "You draw like a maestro", which I remember. In the beginning, I learned the basics of drawing, how to draw an abstract painting, and how to create colors.
I went there for over two years.
After six months of studying painting, I decided to participate in the Saitama Prefectural Exhibition, which was to be held in Saitama Prefecture Museum. Mr. Kanazawa told me at the time that it was reckless and impossible because the exhibition is for someone who had studied painting for 10 years .
However, I took up the challenge of creating a painting of size 50, which was a big challenge for me at the time. As a result, it was selected and hung in the Prefectural Museum of Art.
To be continued.
Human Sushi & cities in Japan
We have begun to collaborate famous cities in Japan with the popular human sushi series, Please check it out:
https://ttakuma.thebase.in/
Interview 1-1: The texture of masterpieces and contemporary works
This is a interview made in September 2020. The interviewer is Mr. Uchida Atsushi, who studied brain science in Keiko University in Tokyo. Takuma and Uchida are the friends from high school
***
Hi Takuma. Today I want you to talk about art.
-Ok…. so do you have something to start with?
Well, how do you think about your works as interior?
-As for interior, I think what is the most important is not to bored people.What attract the audience is little texture on surface. Oil painting is good example.
I see.
-Digital images or printings are too plane. It’s like Udon (Japanese pasta). Taste nice , but not to every day.
So what is important is the misalignment from the norm. Without it, the painting has no attraction.
-Yes, that is what I want to say. Is the all works looks same, it’s not interesting at all. If there is some difference, it will be good. When you see the works of Rembrandt van Rijn, it’s much smaller than what you expected. It’s out of order. It is the difference from amateur.
Is it the same for other classical masters?
-Yes, but especially for Rembrandt . He is great.
-Talking about contemporary art, there are much more plane works, different from master pieces.
That’s interesting. In context of contemporary art, planeness doesn’t matter with there evaluation?
-For example, Wahole ‘s work is plane. But what he did whas not. It had a texture and historical meaning.
I understand. It is true that contemporary art has much importance
Focus Art Fair PARIS 2020
We’ve got some report pictures from the Art Fair in Paris.
https://artspaces.kunstmatrix.com/en/exhibition/2634837/focus-art-fair-paris-2020#
I was thinking about going to Paris for this, but desisted for the current pandemic situation.
Some of my catalogs are there instead of me. So I hope they can reach to those who are potential to like my works.
Participating an Art fair in Paris
My work is now exhibited in an Art fair in Paris.
Exhibition can be seen virtually too.
Please access here.
https://artspaces.kunstmatrix.com/en/exhibition/2634837/focus-art-fair-paris-2020#
There are 4 works.
Hayao Miyazaki
I was talking with my friend about the influence of Japanese film director Hayao Miyazaki.
I've watched his movies since the early period. It is true that his anime and his studio, Ghibli are well known and
influential all over the world.
It is good thing. But on the other hand, more influential he became, more control is needed.
If he express the reality or what he really thinks, it awill produce a big controvert.
As the film industry is also a business, the box-office matters a lot. Failure is not allowed.
So, when the scale got bigger, it's impossible to make something controversial even it is still necessary to attract the public.
On the other hand, there is a little entertainment with it.
So it is not really popular as anime.
How ever, the art is only way which is possible to say "the king has donkey ears".
Some sexual expression and other social problems are allowed to be shown.
Also people have a lot of things they want to claim but can't because they are restricted by their community or company.
It is a real charm of art to express and convert these things.
Talking about the film, Akira Kurosawa also tried to be a painter at first.
Plane art, picture is the most basic part of all kind of art.
It is a reason why the plane art is remained and succeeded.
Platoon unrelieved realism
Now I'm reading a book of David Hockney.
He says that all of flat, 2D arts are what reality, 3D world translated. Of course there happens the gap and lag. The function and uniqueness of each art is how to fill it in.
The book said the Greek philosopher Plato didn't like the realism artworks.
These realism art had a great influence at that time too, and often used to cheat people.So he thought it is harmful.
Socrates said the similar thing too：
The pictures matter how it is seen, not actually what it is.
A branch in a water looks ｂend, but it is not the truth.
Those who draw knows our weakness and tries to deceive us.
At that time there was a realism painter Zeuxis who used a lot of techniques to paint a kind of trick art and made a big money. What Socrates said considered these situation.
I'd like to share what I thought interesting from this book.
New series "View of life and death"
Starting from "Human Sushi" I've treated the COVID-19 as a main theme of this year.
And now, I found that this theme lead us to think about the Death, and the opposite,the Life.
We are in the point to think about our view on the Life and Death.
So from now on, I'll work with the theme about the Life and Death.
It is full of mysteries.
In this point, who gave me the big influence is Takashi Tachibana, Japanese journalist.
I read his books in my teenage time, when I was at a fork of life.
The cerebral death, near‐death experience and the mysteries fo Japanese monk Kukai.
These what I've interested and studied till now will be the great source of next creation, too.
Don't miss it.
Source of inspiration
This is a question I got often.
The themes of my painting is a bit unique.
The source of inspiration is in every where but the main one is the movement of society.
With the studies I've done till now, put these latest news on the canvas.
In my past works, there was a work about Japanese constitution.
What I am working on is a painting about out-of-body experience.
About the process of painting
About the process of painting
The first few years when I started painting I used to draw a rough.
I mean I didn’t know what to do with the white, vacant canvas.
Now the way I paint is quite different.
It is like Chen Juanmi, a Chinese master chef cooking.
He doesn’t use measure.
Considering the balance of taste while he cook and improved the best.
This is a technique you can get with experiences.
In the art world it is basic to paint carefully with taking much time.
But is it is useless to paint with long time without paying much attention.
I once heard that's Andy Warhol asked to Basquiat “How long does it take for you to paint?”. Basquiat answered “Short time”
Warhol loved the answer
Professional needs a quantity and quality. So they need speed for their work.
This is what I am trying to master now.
Backpacker Story 3 ~Montmartre hills~
after going to the museums in Paris one after another, I've been to the Montmartre hills.
As I haven't enough money, I used metro to move around. Only one exception was when I got lost. I had no idea and caught a taxi. and I was soaked. Yes, it happens a lot.
In the park of the Montmartre, there were a of street artists painting and selling their woks for tourist. I found a Japanese artist there. He was living there in Paris some how and told me how is it like to be en street artist there. He said it is necessary to be approved by the city.
At night, I went to a bar. But it was a rip-off bar actually.
On the next day because of that accident, I'd only have one thousand euros. So I had to spend the rest of the time in French saving even more. I hardly stayed in Paris to see around all the museums their.
After the Paris I was planning to go south France, province.
Before that I've been to Museum Marmottan Monet. The famous museum with the great paintings of Claude Monet. It was about 25 m wide, but it seems to have more width. Also the museum was where I've got to know Berthe Morisot. She is female impressionist painter of that time.
After here finally I've got to the southern France.
Backpacker Story 2 ~Louvre and Orsay Museum~
As I decided to stay in Paris for a week, I used every time I had to go to museums in Paris. The main destinations were the museum of Louvre, Orsay, and the Notre Dame.
There in the museum of Louvre, the main purpose was to see the huge amount of works from all over the world, and to see the famous Mona Lisa.
To be honest with you, I wasn't really moved by the Mona Lisa. It was
inside the protective glass and was a cloud in front.
What inspired me was the small works of Vermeer that was exhibited very close to the audience.
Also the old and rough paintings of human body on the ceiling was surprising for me.
On the other hand,I felt the museum of Orsay was much more friendly to see around. There were a lot of light color painting that used to continued to the impressionists.
It was surprising that a young student was painting a copy of original works. It made me remember of the first works of Matis that was also a reproduction made in museums.
There was a special room for Gogh full of people as his life attract the people all over the world.
I've been to the gallery street too. There was a original painting of Raul Dufy for 500 hundred thousand dollars. In contemporary art area, the Alberto Giacometti was inspiring.
Than I've been to the Montmartre hill, be loved place of many artists.
(to be continued)
Backpacker Story 1
（The letter on the picture means "Dream"）
I've been traveling as back packer for many times.
Today, I gonna tell you about the story of the first trip to Paris, in 2005.
I start artist carrier as a street artist in city of Urawa and Ginza, Japan.
I was relly, really poor at that time. At first I was living with my parents, but later I rent a tiny apartment as a atelier.
Gradually people started to buy my paints little by little, and I managed somehow to held a Exposition. Some of the big size paintings were sold.
With all the money I made with the paintings, I went to Paris. After paying for the ticket, almost nothing left, but i wanted to go.
I just wanted to see the museums with my eyes. It was a pure impulse.
At that time I was not really into the contemporary art and abstract paint like now. I used to paint the landscapes, too. So it was a natural desire for me to see the impressionism art of the museums of Paris.
I stayed at the youth hostel few blocks from the palace Bastille. it was about 30 euros per night at that time. The break fast, one piece of bread and a glass of orange juice was included. The acid taste of the orange juice is unforgettable till now.
to be continued...
Bird's-eye view，Takuma's-eye view
There is a word "俯瞰 Fukan" in Japanese.
It means overhead view, or bird's eye view.
Not staying in only one point of view but being objective to the things.
To say the themes of Takuma Tanaka's works in one word, the "Bird's eye view " is the exact word.
Observe the reality we live in sincerely and put it into paintings.
Gaze into society and make the things we are missing clearly.
It i the overhead view that makes it possible.
In the series of Human sushi, there are human beings who used to eat Sushi eaten as Sushi ironically. The works raise the too much anthropocentric acts as a problem
There is a light side and dark side in every thing.
The world we live in is the same.
Most of the people wants to see only the light side.
But Takuma Tanaka wants to express the dark, mess and chaotic side of the things too.
So there are some works looks grotesque and terrific.
Every existence struggle, worry, and celebrate.
There is no escape.
It is essential for us to have overhead view.
As the reality changes, the works of Takuma changes too.
Thank you.
Takuma Tanaka Pandemic Theory
Capitalism and the COVID-19
Let's start with reflecting this capitalism society.
In my opinion, the basic system of capitalism had already existed in the really primitive time. Those who has made every effort to gather more wealth.
This system was enforced at the time of the industrial revolution, the time when human beings starting to be integrated to the machine.
And now, the capitalism is developed and being more complex. Company, TV, Smart phone etc...we are all controlled and more and more wealth is easily gathered in the hands of capitalists.
Does the capitalism has something to do with COVID-19??
The globalism and the capitalism helped each other and developed mutually and intensively in these few years.Exploration of the wealth have been empowered. Telecommunication and transportation system connected the world acceleratingly especially after the bankruptcy of Lehman Brothers.
The counterattack
Ironically, COVID-19 has been spreading through these systems connecting the world.
In 2012, I already know there gonna happen something like counterattack for human. So I released The series of Human Sushi. In the world of Human Sushi series, arrogant human beings are eaten by the aliens, Usagi Neko.
After COVID-19
So, how the situation is going and change? Too much information is putting us in confusion. Nobody knows exactly what will happen. And this is my opinion.
No one can run away from the influence of COVID-19. After COVID-19, there will come the world of dedication and mercy, or, complete disaster.
The world of dedication and mercy I say is the world people dedicate one's self to COVID-19 to acquire the immunity. Of course there is a risk to die.It sounds odd and crazy. But this idea is really opposite to those who criticize infectees and others.
Dedication and for the next generation
Dedicate one's self to have immunity and break through the fear. This is the real attitude of love. Love for the next generation.
It is similar to a mother gives a birth for a child risking her life.
This is just my hypothesis. But I still believe this kind of attitude is really necessary.
The title is "1 minute drawing of Lion`s headdress "
Our official blog is updated!!
The title is "1 minute drawing of Lion`s headdress "
This is the headdress of Lion. Takuma bought it in Harajuku. Harajuku is popular town for teenager.
It takes 1 and half minutes to draw this one.
http://takumatanakacomes.blogspot.jp/…/1-minute-drawing-of-…
The girl series with Piet Mondrian patterns
The girl series with Piet Mondrian patterns
Hello, I am Kerolin. I am an assistant of Takuma.
This is girl series. This is recent popular series.
This model is a wife of Takuma's old friend. They are a new couple. She is teenager. Takuma express the ingenuousness.
And do you notice?
Her clothes is a Piet Mondrian patterns. He is Dutch famous painter.
She has beautiful cherry blossom on her head. There are four peoples. They are having a cherry blossom party.
Hiroshi Sugimoto at Tokyo Photography Art Museum
Hiroshi Sugimoto at Tokyo Photography Art Museum.
Hello, I am Kerolin. I am an assistant of Takuma.
Today I visited at Tokyo Photograpy Art Museum to see Hiroshi Sugimoto 's Exhibition. The title is "Lost Human Genetic Archive".
He expressed about the end of the human beings. There are 30 autograph comments about the end of the human beings by Japanese top intellectual.
One professor of Robotic said that the robot helps our life but, after they get intelligence, they rebels against the human beings. Finally they strike and human beings become extinc.
I felt that all things are in flux and nothing is permanent. I always think why i am living. I don't know why human beings live.
I think that he is looking for the meaning of life by creating the art. But he can't still find it. Things finally he found that life is meaningless. All things are in flux and nothing is permanent.
I decided that I will read again the Ecclesiastes.
