Swide Magazine by Dolce&Gabbana

| posted Dec 11, 2009

As if stumbling out of a darkened Alice in Wonderland landscape, the brilliant Tokyo based Ryohei Hase captivates with his thought provoking and 'we want on our walls' digital paintings. Fascinated by the artist behind them Swide went long distance to Tokyo to interview him.

 

 

RYOHEI YOU’RE SHOWING SHOW AT MIAMI BASEL'S ARTERY SHOW – WHAT ATTRACTED YOU TO THIS EXHIBITION?

Well, I received an invitation mail from a senior curator of the show first. I don't receive many opportunities like this and I thought that this would be a good chance to show my work to many people. Being part of the Miami Art Basel, I expect many people will see my work and I’ll have more opportunity to be seen.

 

IS THE MIAMI ART BASEL REALLY ABOUT THE ART OR THE PARTIES?

I think it's about the art but I really don't know about too much. My work goes not me ;-)

“THE LAST THING WE DO” LOOKS A BIT LIKE SENSE FROM THE NOVEL WATERSHIP DOWN – IS THIS AN INSPIRATION?

No, I actually created that image based on Japanese cult movie "Battle Royal".

The Last Thing We Do by Ryohei Hase

YOU DESIGNED GAMES BEFORE YOU WORKED AS A FULL-TIME ARTIST. HOW DID THIS EXPERIENCE INFLUENCE YOU?

It was a great chance for me to learn various digital techniques from the professionals around me. Those techniques extended my range of expression. I was also able to learn how to work as a team and how to communicate with other professionals. These are the experiences that are difficult to have right now because I work alone at home. I did learn about the PC and the internet, thanks to the computer guys too!

YOUR WORK IS VERY DARK – ARE YOU A DARK PERSON IN REAL LIFE?

Wow, nobody asked me this before. Actually, when I see someone for the first time, they are usually surprised by how I look. They say I'm not out of the way and I look like a person with a sunny disposition unlike the images I create. Saying that though perhaps essential elements deep in my mind could be dark though…!

Uninterrupted Chain by Ryohei Hase

WHERE DO YOU WORK FROM AND WHAT CAN’T YOU WORK WITHOUT (FOOD, COFFEE, BEER, RAMEN…?)

I work from home. I make a cup of coffee before I start to work in the morning and my dog always stays by me.

Ryohei's French bulldog Kotaru - Tokyo

WHY DO ANIMALS FEATURE SO MUCH IN YOUR WORK AND DO YOU HAVE A PET?

I live with a French bulldog "Kotaro". Sadly, my 60inch iguana died at the beginning of this year.

Sometimes people ask me the same question but it's difficult to answer because I don't like to verbalize my motivation. However, don't you have time to see things differently like when you see monster in angry person?

In my image "Go Forward and Forward", you see many rabbits' head figures. An idea of that image came up into my mind when I was watching people walking strongly without looking back in Tokyo. Before I started to paint that image, I sat for a while thinking about it, then I saw a rabbit's head on people in my mind. May be, that's because I superimposed the image of face in people walking the street and in blankness face of rabbits.

Ryohei's sadly deceasd pet iguana - Tokyo

HOW DOES JAPAN INFLUENCE YOUR WORK?

Place doesn't matter to me but ordinary people around me can be my inspiration.
Tokyo is a very interesting place with a lot of people in a small area.
For example, I see people walking at a quick pace like escaping from something or people living everyday life hiding their problems.

DO YOU LISTEN TO MUSIC AS YOU WORK AND WHAT?

Yes, I do. My favorite artists are "underworld" and "The Chemical Brothers". I like up-tempo songs.

HOW DO YOU THINK THE INTERNET IS CHANGING THE ART-WORLD?

Internet stimulates people's emotion. The environment which people can easily see the art of another country
can be a trigger to create new artists.This is the easiest and closest place to showcase my works.
My work has the chances to be seen by many people around the world because of internet. I have no idea what I would become without it...I'd never have had the chance to be interviewed by you.

Internet has brought art closer and it is giving various opportunites and possibilities to many people.

'Battle' from Ryohei Hase's Room series.

WHAT PERSON WOULD YOU LOVE TO ILLUSTRATE?

I'd like to draw a person who lives desperately against his/her troubles.(Someone who are close to me.)

DID YOU HEAR THE RUMOUR THAT IF YOU CAN DRAW THE PERFECT CIRCLE IT’S A SIGN OF MADNESS? CAN YOU DRAW A PERFECT CIRCLE?

No, I can't draw it because I'm not interested in the perfect circle. This is my first time to hear the rumour.
However, I can draw the perfect circle in a second if I want to 'cause I'm a digital painter!

With special thanks to Ryohei Hase - to see more of his work click on ryoheihase.com.

Kerry Olsen

Source & Photo Credits: With kind permission from Ryohei Hase

 

TAGS: ryohei hase miami art basel digital painter japan tokyo art miami artery show online magazine style magazine