JAVE GAKUMEI YOSHIMOTO
What initially inspired you to start doing art? I think like most artists, my intention of creating art started at a young age. I was always inspired by popular culture and illustrations, but what really triggered my interest was this box set of cards that I received as a child that represented various renaissance era painters. I had no idea what it took to create something of that magnitude and quality, and growing up with these cards gave me a goal to shoot for. But I think the answer to this question is much deeper than that, as far as “deciding� the moment of wanting to become an artist, I felt I’ve always known, but for years after finishing high school I was jumping from one job to the next, cycling through dead end jobs and my personal artistic practices suffered. Returning to academia eventually allowed me an opportunity to not only hone down my skills, but follow the mentorship of my art professors with a structured, dedicated art making schedule. I also started realizing the potential impact of what an art work can do, which goes beyond the romanticized notion of the sole artist in the studio.
I think that artists, with the right context and content, can shape society and educate a community and influence the local culture. How would you describe your subject matter? My current subject matter deals mostly with current events, focusing on especially disasters, both those that are natural in origin and man-made. I believe within these subjects there is an abundance of narratives, containing heartbreaking stories of trial and survival that people face in dire and desperate situations. Somewhere in there lies a story about humanity. It is my aim to try to capture some of that humanity within my works. Talk to us about the Disaster series During my final year of graduate school at Syracuse University, I heard of the news of the Japanese earthquake and tsunami that struck the northeastern Japan. The 9.0 magnitude earthquake damaged many buildings and homes, which triggered fires, mudslides, and eventually the tsunami that hit about five miles inland, displacing 300,000 people from their homes, with 20,000 people missing or
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