Kazuki Takamatsu’s haunting black and white imagery explores narratives of death and society, through a unique depth-mapping technique that he developed, in which traditional mediums such as drawing, airbrush and gouache painting are combined with computer graphics.
Regarding his new works, Takamatsu shares: “There are rules and restraints in life. These rules define the group law that we must keep, they describe how various types of people live together.
This group of new paintings is based on my participation in a group, an art organization in Japan, that was created 100 years before me. I joined when I was young and energetic and became the leader of the group. But they expected too much of me and soon I had no time for my work. The question came: do the rules of the organization override the instincts of art? Do I need to sacrifice my dream for them? Most of the leading members of the organization are over 80 years old. They see the importance of rules from a different generational perspective.
I am very close to them, and appreciative of them. But I knew that to do my work, I had to escape them. They are like family and wish the best for me, yet I had to leave the organization to win my life. This story applies to society, company, lovers, friends, family and generation. Most restraint is of goodwill and meant to compose a world in which people live comfortably. Especially in Japan, where people want to live the same as others and it is difficult to live or have an idea different from others. The meaning of this work is ‘Come on! Go for freedom!’ It is the thought in which I created these works, as I experienced the mixed emotions of the need to create and understand the purpose of restraint. I have made no compromise with these works that I am showing at Corey Helford Gallery.”
