Hideyuki Katsumata, who paints monsters and religious motifs with a distinctive Japanese touch, is an artist who has gained popularity overseas, including for his fan-favorite character "Hanauta."
He will be participating in the "SOUL CAMP 2018 at ISETAN" event, which will be held at the Isetan Shinjuku store from September 12th to 17th, and will be performing a live painting on the 15th. His works feature vivid colors that are unforgettable once you see them, and unique characters. How on earth do these works come into being? We spoke to him at Amrita Shokudo in Kichijoji, where he is a close friend, having designed the 15th anniversary T-shirt and where the live painting took place that night.
Hideyuki Katsumata
Amrita Shokudo 15th Anniversary T-Shirt Hideyuki Katsumata SP Collaboration Ver.
So how did his career as an artist get started in the first place? The answer to that question was quite unexpected. He says that the reason he decided to become an artist was because of Tomoaki Okaniwa, designer of the Japanese brand THE VIRIDI-ANNE.
"I originally worked in the fashion industry, but when I first met Okaniwa, I was struck by the difference in our level of awareness of clothing. I was just doing things casually, and I thought, 'I can't compete with this guy!' (laughs). Then I started thinking about what I could do better than others, and I started drawing. Okaniwa has been very kind to me ever since, and for a while we even went out drinking almost every day. He's a Tokyo Zokei University graduate, so he taught me about art. Until about two years ago, he would look at my new works every time I created them."
He's basically self-taught when it comes to drawing. He says he never studied academically at school, but looking back, he has had a taste for art since his childhood that would later influence his work. Along with the well-known Gundam and Fujiko Fujio works, he also loved Japanese art such as ukiyo-e and sumi-e.
"My calligraphy teacher in elementary school had art books by (Toshusai) Sharaku and Picasso. He would show me various art books after class. Looking back, I think that might be the roots of my passion. Then, as I entered junior high school, I started to dig deeper into a variety of things."
work in progress for next exhibition at Good Vibes Only, Hong Kong on 17th August 2018
But where do motifs such as monsters, the occult, religion and the mystical come from? "It may simply be that I've loved 'Ninja Hattori-kun' and 'Kaibutsu-kun' since I was little. I've also seen actual ghosts, probably zashiki-warashi (laugh). I also think life is more enjoyable when you believe in those kinds of invisible beings, like aliens."
Also, as he says, "I want to create works that would appeal to my childhood self," his works, while featuring spooky motifs, somehow exude a positive and happy atmosphere. "I can't subtract. I think it's good to think in a design-like way and make something simple and cool, but that alone makes it boring. Also, unlike subtraction, addition can be done infinitely. You can add as much as you want (laugh)," he says happily, his face truly reminiscent of a pure boy.
work in progress for next exhibition at Good Vibes Only, HongKong on 17th August 2018
Also, as an element connected to that boyish purity, many of his works feature sexual motifs. "It's fun precisely because everything is considered taboo. Pranks aren't fun if no one gets angry. I also think that we live in a world where more and more things are considered socially taboo, so it's rewarding. Officially, I say that my works are based on shunga (shunga) motifs (laughs)."
hanauta
He will be participating in the "SOUL CAMP 2018 at ISETAN" event, which will be held at the Isetan Shinjuku store from September 12th to 17th, and will be performing a live painting on the 15th. His works feature vivid colors that are unforgettable once you see them, and unique characters. How on earth do these works come into being? We spoke to him at Amrita Shokudo in Kichijoji, where he is a close friend, having designed the 15th anniversary T-shirt and where the live painting took place that night.
Hideyuki KatsumataAmrita Shokudo 15th Anniversary T-Shirt Hideyuki Katsumata SP Collaboration Ver.So how did his career as an artist get started in the first place? The answer to that question was quite unexpected. He says that the reason he decided to become an artist was because of Tomoaki Okaniwa, designer of the Japanese brand THE VIRIDI-ANNE.
"I originally worked in the fashion industry, but when I first met Okaniwa, I was struck by the difference in our level of awareness of clothing. I was just doing things casually, and I thought, 'I can't compete with this guy!' (laughs). Then I started thinking about what I could do better than others, and I started drawing. Okaniwa has been very kind to me ever since, and for a while we even went out drinking almost every day. He's a Tokyo Zokei University graduate, so he taught me about art. Until about two years ago, he would look at my new works every time I created them."
He's basically self-taught when it comes to drawing. He says he never studied academically at school, but looking back, he has had a taste for art since his childhood that would later influence his work. Along with the well-known Gundam and Fujiko Fujio works, he also loved Japanese art such as ukiyo-e and sumi-e.
"My calligraphy teacher in elementary school had art books by (Toshusai) Sharaku and Picasso. He would show me various art books after class. Looking back, I think that might be the roots of my passion. Then, as I entered junior high school, I started to dig deeper into a variety of things."
work in progress for next exhibition at Good Vibes Only, Hong Kong on 17th August 2018 But where do motifs such as monsters, the occult, religion and the mystical come from? "It may simply be that I've loved 'Ninja Hattori-kun' and 'Kaibutsu-kun' since I was little. I've also seen actual ghosts, probably zashiki-warashi (laugh). I also think life is more enjoyable when you believe in those kinds of invisible beings, like aliens."
Also, as he says, "I want to create works that would appeal to my childhood self," his works, while featuring spooky motifs, somehow exude a positive and happy atmosphere. "I can't subtract. I think it's good to think in a design-like way and make something simple and cool, but that alone makes it boring. Also, unlike subtraction, addition can be done infinitely. You can add as much as you want (laugh)," he says happily, his face truly reminiscent of a pure boy.
work in progress for next exhibition at Good Vibes Only, HongKong on 17th August 2018 Also, as an element connected to that boyish purity, many of his works feature sexual motifs. "It's fun precisely because everything is considered taboo. Pranks aren't fun if no one gets angry. I also think that we live in a world where more and more things are considered socially taboo, so it's rewarding. Officially, I say that my works are based on shunga (shunga) motifs (laughs)."
hanauta
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