ARTIDE Yu Komatsumoto

Born in Mie Prefecture in 1993.
Graduated from Kyoto University of Art and Design.
Fascinated by the patterns of Detroit Agate, an artificial mineral that was created by chance at an automobile factory in Detroit, USA, he has gained a reputation for his impactful works that combine high-quality realistic painting techniques with Detroit Agate patterns drawn using a unique drawing method.
In recent years, he has continued to exhibit his work mainly in galleries in Tokyo.

“ART×TIDE”

Why did I start expressing it?

I've loved drawing ever since I could remember, and I couldn't imagine a future without drawing, so I enrolled in an art high school and university.

However, from the beginning I did not have any principles or arguments that I wanted to appeal to the world through my paintings, I just continued to draw because I loved it.

However, when I was in my first year at university, I suddenly became obsessed with the idea that my face was ugly and distorted, and I was unable to go out, and a psychosomatic doctor diagnosed me with body dysmorphic disorder . As I continued to struggle with my illness, the theme of my work almost inevitably became ``concerned about appearance.''

I am currently in my 8th year of fighting the disease. As I continue to create works based on the theme of ``interest in appearance,'' which more or less everyone has, I feel that recently I have been able to express myself ``from the heart'' for the first time.

You could say that my ``opportunity'' to start expressing myself came from the onset of body dysmorphic disorder and my subsequent struggle with the disease.

What do you want to express with your work?

The most distinctive feature of the work is the pattern created using the tarashikomi technique. This pattern is based on an artificial mineral called "Detroit Agate".

Back in the day, when cars were painted by hand, people were trying to remove chunks of enamel that were scattered all over the worksite, and it was discovered that the layers of aged paint had beautiful patterns. Because its pattern resembles agate, it was called ` `Detroit agate' ' and was distributed as an artificial mineral.

I was deeply moved by the story of how something that was scheduled to be discarded had value, and I used this artificial ore as a motif, like the embodiment of ``rebirth,'' to capture the blank period when I was unable to do anything during my illness. , I wanted to sublimate myself through my works.

I would like to create works that ask the viewer, ``What does it mean to love yourself?'' by focusing on the ``interest in appearance'' that everyone has, and combining it with the pattern of Detroit agate. I am thinking.

What do you worry about other than spending time in front of your work?

When I'm not actually working with my hands, I often read books and art books that might be helpful while thinking about future productions, or I look online for techniques and art supplies that I can use. I'm the type of person who can't move when I lose concentration, as if my battery has dropped, so on days when that happens, I spend the day relaxing and looking at my dog.

Where does the future of expression lie?

I believe that the thoughts and actions of those of us living today will shape the future of expression. Until modern times, only people in a limited number of professions were able to express themselves. But now it is different. With the spread of SNS, anyone can easily express themselves, and ARTIDE combines brightly colored paintings with leather goods... new ways of expression are being created all the time. From now on, the future of expression will become even broader and richer. I would like to always keep an eye on new technologies and ways of thinking, and become one of the people who create the future of expression.

What do you expect from an expression similar to TIDE?

The brand concept of `` The TIDE is turning '' seems to have something in common with my production concept mentioned above, and I feel a strong sympathy for it.

I want to express myself in a way that embodies this concept and sympathize with the feelings of people who are facing adversity. With this in mind, I decided to apply to be the second participating artist.

There are many people in this country who are at the lowest point in their lives due to a variety of reasons, and are feeling overwhelmed by the uncertainty of the future. This is especially true in the current times of the coronavirus pandemic.

I thought it would be great if I could be involved in creating a product that is in line with the concept of this project, with the hope that even though we are at rock bottom, we should not give up on what is important to us.

Thoughts put into this original drawing and work

I usually create pieces using Detroit agate as a motif, but this time I used the usual swirl pattern as a ``tide'' and created it while keeping in mind the ``flow''. This work depicts the strength of people who maintain their posture and survive ``today'' in a day-to-day life filled with waves of joy, anger, sadness, and various emotions.

Biography

[Exhibition history]

2013 "Scope Exhibition" Art Gallery Kitano (Kyoto City)
2014 “Intersection of Science and Art: Painting Exhibition by a Pair of Science and Artist” Kyoto University Museum (Kyoto City)
2016 “Kyoto University of Art and Design Graduation Exhibition” Kyoto University of Art and Design (Kyoto City)
2018 “SPURT Exhibition” Kyoto University of Art and Design (Kyoto City)
2020 “FACE2020” Sompo Japan Nipponkoa Museum of Art (Shinjuku/Tokyo)
2021 "ART POINT Selection I" Gallery ART POINT (Ginza/Tokyo)
2021 “OneFACE Exhibition” Lloyd Works Gallery (Yushima/Tokyo)

[Award history]

Selected for “FACE2020 Sompo Japan Nipponkoa Art Award Exhibition”

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