In many pieces, animals are personified, which is fun and I can imagine smiles on audience’s faces. What kind of person and things interest you?

Something with a vague standard, and on unconscious basis, someone intended to be cute actually looks scary, or someone tries to intimidate in a scare way but looks cute, and so on.

WE, Shuun, 2013, 606 x 727 mm, Acrylic on canvas

Your have a unique view of the world, aren’t you? How do you come up with an idea?

I’d rather say it comes in unconsciousness. It should be. While I am just sitting on the field, while I’m working in town, and while I’m listening to music… I don’t organize ideas that much, but always take notes of what I saw and thought on cards, and put them in an empty can of various sweets such as Yamaoyaji of Senjuan (a specialty biscuit of an old sweet shop in Hakodate, Hokkaido), and I occasionally open them to look back on and to plan. However mostly an idea comes unconsciously.

The creatures have only two fore teeth in your previous piece while they have nice teeth in the latest one. Why is that? Is there any reason?

No. It happened to be like that. Even now I’m painting one with only one tooth. For the piece titled “Aitsu”, I painted an ideal image for it to have all the teeth. The original Aitsu looks shy having only one teeth, but even so it smiles without hiding the teeth. I want to have the same kind of attitude.

mojamoja, Shuun, 2014. 910 x 910 mm, Acrylic on canvas

Please tell us your intent or concept for your first solo exhibition, ANIMALS starting from August fifth at Clark Gallery+SHIFT.

This is the first opportunity at a gallery, so I’d like to present the creatures in my works well. I hope audience interpret them in their own way.

What kind of projects do you want to do in future?

I’d like to create more works. In many sizes, and hopefully move to a place where I can create big pieces.

As a last question, please tell us your favorite artists, musicians, art, design, book etc, if any.

I like comedies, science fiction, monster movies, something lo-fi.

SHUUN’s solo exhibition “ANIMALS”
Date: August 5th – September 30th, 2014
Opening hours: 11:00 – 19:00 (Closed on Mondays)
Place: Clark Gallery + SHIFT
Address: 2F Museum, South 3 East 2, Chuo-ku, Sapporo
Tel: +81 (0)11 596 7752
https://www.clarkgallery.co.jp