Hidetaka Suzuki
"Lately, I have come to feel that the ease with which something can be duplicated means that there is a strong possibility that the thing itself can easily disappear."
Interview by Richard Starbuck
Could you tell us a bit about yourself and your background? Where did you study?
I was born and raised in the coldest region of Japan, Hokkaido. From there, I went on to study oil painting at Musashino Art University, where I graduated with a master's degree.
Your work has been described as resonating between the mundane and the uncanny, using everyday images as a springboard into the absurd. How do you select these moments or items for your paintings, and what significance do they hold in your exploration of life's inherent absurdities?
The hardest part for me when choosing what to paint is the balancing act between the macabre and what is worth painting. Even if it is an interesting point of view, I will not paint it if I don't think it can be made into a painting.
I feel that human existence is absurd and contradictory to begin with. However, I would like to consider how this can be affirmed.
As someone with a background in programming and an interest in AI-generated imagery, how does your experience in the digital realm influence your approach to traditional oil painting, particularly in the way you treat themes of originality and reproduction?
I think this is a very interesting topic. Lately, I have come to feel that the ease with which something can be duplicated means that there is a strong possibility that the thing itself can easily disappear. For example, there is a lot of information on the Internet, but if you don't have access to the Internet, you can't see it. In that sense, the medium of painting may still have interesting possibilities in terms of documentation.
Sound, 2024
Naming Rule, 2021
Sacrifice, 2023
Biscuit Gallery, photo by Naoki Takehisa
WHYNOT.TOKYO, photo by Shunta Inaguchi
Scroll NYC, 2024
You navigate between the tangible immediacy of oil paint and the fleeting nature of digital imagery. How do you see your work contributing to the ongoing conversation about the intersection of traditional art forms and contemporary digital culture?
This is connected to my earlier question, but I feel that the information on the Internet will one day disappear. In this context, there is an aspect of my work that I feel I want to keep as a record. I would be happy if my work could be like an observation point of how we are changed by the form of digital images and the distribution channels.
What artwork have you seen recently that has resonated with you?
I saw two paintings by Vilhelm Hammershøi on display when I visited the Tate collection exhibit at a Japanese museum. They were very quiet and casual works. But they were filled with beauty and the smell of death, and I found them to be wonderful works.
Tell us a bit about how you spend your day / studio routine? What is your studio like?
I spend far more time looking for images than I do drawing. I am always looking for images when I am usually at home, or when I am on the move and have an idea for something. In the studio, I finish most of my paintings in a very short time. If it doesn't work out, I redraw it. So, I don't do much else or relax in the studio.
Is there anything new and exciting in the pipeline you would like to tell us about?
I am currently preparing to publish a small art book. It will be available for purchase by people overseas, so I hope you will check my Instagram. Personally, I plan to visit many different countries this year. I am very excited about all the countries I have yet to visit.
All images courtesy of the artist
Interview publish date: 04/03/2024
