Black Lives Matter will occur in 2020, and this work was created in response.
The asymmetry of the central heart not only follows the asymmetrical beauty of Zen art, but also represents the coexistence of the three races: black, yellow, and white. The mechanical heart like a diamond is an alarming message to the Singularity, which is said to occur in 2045, that we have no time to fight over skin color, and that we must coexist with AI, a machine that transcends human beings. The following is a brief description of the project.
Machines cannot shed tears, but the human heart can shed tears for someone. I have always believed that this is human dignity and that love for one's fellow man and neighbor is what is truly beautiful. I hope that this sentiment will be given a social dimension to this work by involving the viewers present and creating a new dialogue.
There are other reasons besides the above for focusing on singularity. After I was expelled from high school and left college of my own volition, I went to a technical school and majored in computer programming. It was at this time that I realized for the first time that I wanted to visualize and express human emotions and sensibilities. If I were to use an analogy, it would be similar to a Japanese person going to the U.S. and being able to confirm the beauty of their homeland, Japan, by coming into contact with the outside world for the first time, or something similar to that in confirming a sense of belonging.
My grandfather was Russian. Since birth, identity crisis has always been a deep psychological part of my life. My background, in which I cannot help but always think about the relationship between society and the self, is inevitably reflected in my work.
My religious beliefs also have a significant influence on my artwork. I was a Christian until the age of 16. However, after I was expelled from high school, I began to question the truth of this world. Then I enrolled in a Buddhist university. I believe that it is important to develop a multifaceted view of things and judge situations not only through one-sided teachings given to us, but also through voluntary study. This is also true regarding the racial issues of today.
When I was a student, I could not imagine how knowledge of Buddhism would be useful in the future. However, I can say now that Buddhism, which is a part of my identity, is an essential element when presenting my art abroad, and my experience as a Christian has also been very helpful in understanding people from other countries.
What I want to convey through this work is that it is important to "connect the dots" of very different experiences, elements, and knowledge in order to open up new paths. I believe that this is a very meaningful experience that fosters diversity and reminds us that minorities have dignity and value.
I hope that this work will contribute to the realization of a society in which both sides can come to terms with each other, even if only a little. This will prove that art has functioned as a kind of social magnetic field, and I, as the artist, can feel that I have produced a supreme moment.
