You have participated in many exhibitions not only in Japan but in many other countries. They give me the impression that you fly all over the world. Can you see any differences at exhibitions between Japan and overseas? Please tell us a unique episode if you have one.

Unfortunately, I cannot go to see overseas exhibitions every time it is held, so it’s hard for me to know what people think about my work. I want to go as often as possible, but I can’t leave my client works. Reading reports about exhibitions is the only way to know about the exhibitions for me now. I sometimes receive e-mails from people I don’t know and their opinions are pretty helpful when I think about my future career.

You are holding a traveling exhibition “Sunday-Vision Exhibition 2002” at Sapporo Soso cafe” since the 5th of May. Please tell us about this exhibition.

I had “Sunday-Vision Exhibition 2002” at galleries “sigh” and “Office” in Tokyo last year. In the exhibition at Soso, selected works from these exhibitions will be presented. Some of my works returing to Japan from overseas exhibitions and works that I made after my own exhibition will be introduced as well. Thus it will be a comprehensive exhibition.

You will have a live painting with an illustrator Mr Kobuke at the opening party for this exhibition. Tell us about that live painting as well as Mr Kobuke.

This is the first time to do a live painting for me. However, I am with , who I can respect as a friend and an artist, so I am very excited rather than feeling anxious. I am not sure how the picture will be because I have not talked about this with him yet, but imagining this is good fun for me as well.

Our friend Uemura, who is a buyer at Bonjour Records will select tracks for this event. I made an amenity set for a hotel through a Bonjour Deluxe job, so he helps me both in my public and my private life. Kobuke is a great artist and he recently had an exhibition at Saint Peres Gallery in Paris. He released a portfolio from Little more Co., Ltd. as well as having a collaboration work with Come des Garcons Manpink.

Please tell us your cover design. What did you envision when you were making this?

From my image to the word “Shift”, I was thinking of making an interface that people can change a screen by pressing bottoms. I used snow crystals so that the design matches the current season but it’s easy to grow my images about autumn and winter for me. This design is an abstract one and it would be nice if each person gets a different impression from it.

Please tell us your future plan.

Basically, I want to work as a graphic designer as I have been. Mainly I enjoy work but sometimes I have to be strict to be myself. I will participate in an exhibition in Milan in June (but it’s not been confirmed yet). Also, I am going to take part in a project exhibition “Jungle LP Show” held at Rocket in Aoyama, Tokyo in July. My own exhibition will be held from September to October.

Please leave a message to Shift readers.

Thank you for reading my interview.

Sunday-Vision Exhibition
Date: May 5th – 30th, 2003
Open: 11:00 – 21:00
Place: Soso Cafe
Address: 1F Sansei Bld., South 1 West 13 Chuo-ku, Sapporo
Tel: +81 (0)11 280 2240
Admission Free
Supported by Canon Inc.
https://www.shift.jp.org/soso/