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Excellence Prize
×man vibration
Interactive art
Artist : OKAMOTO Takayuki
(Japan)
OKAMOTO Takayuki
Born in Osaka, in 1978. Completed the Graduate School of Kyoto City University of Arts, in 2006. He is currently working as a modern artist. Using sculpture as his medium, he seeks to encourage people to think differently about their own bodies, with the aim of discovering something about fundamental human nature.
I am very glad to receive this prestigious prize and very grateful to the people supporting me. This work was born from my pure desire to understand the unknown. It might be possible to deepen my understanding of my own body, which I had previously been quite indifferent to, by stimulating the sense of touch and considering the sensation. I believe that I have managed to access a new vision of the human body through this work.
This work increases our awareness of muscles that we are otherwise unconscious of using; a pleasant feeling of being massaged awakens our senses. Its cyber and stylish look, which could be mistaken for a security or restriction suit, has a beauty that induces in the people wearing it a feeling of unreality. Mankind has long sought to increase the functions of his body and it could be said that science and technology has developed for that purpose; this series of work has an inventive and experimental atmosphere that reminds us of this.
How old were you when you "created" something first time in your life? At that time, what did you create, and what kind of medium did you use?
When I was old enough to talk and walk, I did various things such as drawing characters from animations and a warlord of the Sengoku era, in the 15th to 17th centuries when Japan was engaged in provincial wars and other activities like making things using saws and hammers.
What kind of tools or medium do you use now? Please tell us the reason why you choose them.
I have too many tools and I think I cannot definitively pick one for myself. If I must choose something, I think it is my body at present.
If you could get "dream tools/medium" for your creation, what do you wish to get?
It’s too embarrassing to write it down, so I won’t.
Do you have any consistent subject matter or theme through your works? If so, please explain us.
In my view, it is to gain a new image of the body.
I think that one realizes that he has too little knowledge about his own body and would like to know more about it.
Please tell us the most difficult or considerable part when you create your work.
What is hard for me is a challenge for something I have never experienced or an inward conflict about whether or not the result of the completed work is positive in a way which I am able to imagine during the production.
What I care about is that I ripen what I have hit upon and want to try to reproduce it as faithfully as possible.
Have you ever felt that your work is a "media art"? Also, what is the difference between "media arts" and "traditional fine arts"?
I have various thoughts. Sometimes I consider my work as a media art (when I use media technology in any way), sometimes I think that I don’t want to consider my work as a media art (I wouldn’t produce a work in which I rely too much on technology), and sometimes I consider my work as not a media art (which I cannot determine as a media art).
It seems that there are various views on “media arts” and traditional “art” these days, but I also think that, in the end, this discussion is not an issue.
As an artist/creator, please tell us your approach, stance or point of view when you create your work.
As I’m given ample time to create things or to think about things, I wish to give back my best to society in the form of interesting works.
What is your motto?
I would do anything or everything.
What kind of situation in every day life do you get inspired most?
Perhaps I would say when I gaze into space or watch streaming scenery.
Or when talking with people.
Or when talking with people.
What kind of vision do you have in your future development as the creator?
I have had very few experiences of exhibitions yet, so I have so many things that I don’t know, but I want to conduct a workshop or other activities in the future.
What I can say now is that it is a little abstract but, I want to do activities which, even though they may be personal, can involve something large.
Please name of the people, things, or phenomena that you have got most influenced by as the creator.
People who have nurtured me. Or the environment.
The influences which I have gained consciously are very important, but now I am also interested in the influences which I receive under unconscious situations.
People related to Kyoto City University of Art and my friends. Monoha, Gutai, BEUYS, PENONE, and many others.
