A stuffed rabbit with only its face painted black. The soft stuffed rabbit is surrounded by hard tree branches and linear concrete blocks, creating a vivid contrast.
block rabbit tree" (2024)
Using stuffed toys as a motif, Hidehiko Iijima depicts the disgust and cuteness surrounding reality, or the chaos of good and evil. This work was selected for the 100 10 2023/2024.
9s Gallery will present "UPDRAFT" Rising Artists from 10010 2023/24, agroup exhibition by Hidehiko Iijima and five other up-and-coming artists who attracted attention at 10010, from May 17 (Fri. ) to June 1 (Sat), 2024.
In this article, we present an interview with Hidehiko Iijima about the concept and production of the exhibition.
Born in Kariya City, Aichi Prefecture in 1999.
Graduated from Aichi Prefectural University of Fine Arts and Music, Department of Design and Crafts in 2023.
He was selected for the "100 10" competition in 2021. The following year, he won the Grand Prix at "Independent Tokyo 2022" and the WATOWA ART AWARD 2022.
In addition to group exhibitions in various locations, he participated in art fairs in the Netherlands and Taiwan. 2023: Solo exhibition "BRANCH" at Gallery Tugboat.
Coexistence of disgust and cuteness expressed in plush toys
cube" (2024)
-First of all, please tell us about your works.
Using stuffed animals as a motif, I express the coexistence of disgust and cuteness.
I think that the malice and violence that people show can be seen as an act of bluffing to hide their own weakness, and I think it is kind of cute. On the other hand, I also feel horrified when I sense that the cuteness that is easy to see at first glance is disguised by malice.
I express this chaotic tiggle with stuffed toys that look both inorganic and organic.
I originally liked the "somewhat cute but creepy" worldview, and stuffed animals were the easiest for me to draw.
In the early days, I would decide on the pose of the stuffed animal while sketching many patterns, then paint the stuffed animal on the canvas with ink before painting the background with acrylic paints. However, I became bored with a fixed style, so recently I have been experimenting with different ways of painting, such as smearing paint on the stuffed animal and then tracing the smudged outline with a brush, in order to create an accidental effect on the canvas.
-You majored in design at university.
When I entered university and began studying design, I found that there were many things that were different from what I had imagined before entering university. Design is a field where you spend a lot of time thinking and formulating ideas in your head rather than working with your hands, but for me, I liked to work hard with my hands. That is what made me decide to become an artist.
Stuffed animals have been one of the motifs I have been drawing since the beginning, so I have been creating them for about three years now.
-Are there any artists who have influenced your work?
I have always loved the works of Tomoo Gokita and Manabu Ikeda, and my goal is to create powerful paintings like theirs.
100 10 as a place to try out new expressions
pyramid》(2024)
-Your work was selected for the 100 Artists 10 in 2021, so what prompted you to apply again in 2023/2024?
The last time I entered the competition, in 2021, I was just starting my career as an artist, and I wanted to have a place to showcase my work. This year, I did not intend to enter the competition at first, but I was personally beginning to worry about my own style.
-What are your concerns about your style?
I am the type of person who changes techniques and motifs little by little as I create. Trying different techniques and motifs suits me well, but sometimes I feel that it is difficult to convey my intentions to the people around me. I decided to exhibit my work again to see what kind of response I would get from the style I am currently exploring.
In "block/rabbit/tree," I tried to emphasize the "coexistence of disgust and cuteness," which was my original goal, by arranging stuffed animals, trees, concrete blocks, and other disparate motifs in a tiggly manner, ignoring their real-world size.
About the exhibited works
Shock" (2024)
-What kind of work will you be exhibiting in the group exhibition in May?
As with my work for the 10010, I plan to exhibit a two-dimensional work in which I have experimented with various updates in technique while using stuffed animals as the main motif.
In "block/rabbit/tree," I applied a medium to the concrete parts to create cracks, but this time I tried applying it to the stuffed animal's face and stopped using solid paints. I hope you will come and see it in person at the exhibition.
-Lastly, please tell us about your future activities and prospects.
I would like to continue experimenting with different styles and aim to create screens that attract viewers.
I am not good at putting my paintings into words, so I would like to create works so that viewers can honestly feel "wow" when they see them.
Outline of the exhibition
《 "UPDRAFT" Rising Artist from 100 10 2023/24
Dates: 2024/5/18 (Sat) to 2024/6/1 (Sat)
Opening hours: 12:00 - 19:00
Opening party (invitation only): 5/17(Fri.)
Last day: 18:00 CLOSE
Closed: Sunday and Monday
Venue: 9s Gallery by TRiCERA
The Wall 3F, 4-2-4 Nishiazabu, Minato-ku, Tokyo 106-0031
Access: Tokyo Metro Hibiya Line Roppongi station 10 min. walk, Hiroo station 10 min. walk
10 minutes walk from Nogizaka station on Tokyo Metro Chiyoda Line
Contact: 03-5422-8370
For inquiries about this exhibition
