Automatic World
World Automatic Blue Tablet /Pyramid Grid Repeat
It is a pure Abstract painting with a strong impression.
I have come to wonder if any other artist than me uses real banknotes as a material for abstract paintings? Is Warhol an abstract artist? Warhol's $ bills paintings are not created with the real dollar bills but are tracings and photographs of them.
There are special and mysterious feelings that you cannot even describe in words when you see an abstract painting in which capturing the power, significance and touch of banknotes. I used the colour blue first because blue reminds me of the sea and the earth where was the birthplace of civilization. I doubt if there are many enough audience in this era who can grasp the beauty of this artwork where banknotes are automatically placed in the grid on the sea-like surface. I am planning to expand this artwork as a series in different colours.
*Here is the summary from my private exhibition “Automatic World 2019” which this work was premiered.
This time, I tackled on updating the Automatic Painting with money bills series. Automatic Painting is a new type of collaging which I invented. It includes real money bills that are cut into same-shaped pieces, mixed and shifted, and chosen without a look. It is a unique technique that creates an effect of visual patterns created without making visual judgments.
It has started with USD bills which is easy to access and it has developed as a “World Automatic” series as diverse money bills from a hundred countries have been brought into the artwork later on.
This time, I added the elements of the non-constrained artform, as opposed to the paintings which are restricted into square or rectangle, to the visual effects and modelling essence of my “World Automatic” series. It is developed in both representational art form (person and landscape) and abstract art form (geometric pattern).
I had an opportunity to discuss my artwork with the Deputy Director of the 21st Century Kanazawa Modern Art Museum at the opening event of my exhibition. He gave me interesting insights into the virtuality of money. According to him, my artwork has a wave frequency from the virtual world.
I interpreted his comment as pointing out that the history of civilization created with currencies themselves are the virtual worlds created on earth by the human. Indeed, this artificial and civilized world can be translated as the virtual world that is realized physically because it exists unnaturally. Human cognitive system work as the engine and the currency work as the gasoline of this materialistic civilization.
He says, “This abstract art with money bill is a tool to visualize the virtual world created by human”, and “It is an art that reverses the usage of money.” It was a new point of view for me. He also says, “I feel as if the world has stopped for a moment when I see these disabled bills. Meaning that a second in the virtual world and the enormous amount of human energy is captured in still art. There can be numerous ways to understand this art because it mixes banknotes from all over the world.
There is a type of energy like an electric wave in it due to its Op Art-like placement patterns. It makes the audience feel that something is happening right in front of their eyes. Also, when it comes to the human-shaped artworks, it depends on the audience to understand it as a painting or a sculpture.” I personally think of this artwork as a painting as it is rather flat but some might say that it is a sculpture as it could be understood as a type of relief art.
As I am launching and developing this series of art with money bills, it was a significant time in my career to receive feedback on my unique material and expression. It inspired me and motivated me greatly in order to explore the possibility of my art. When I use themes such as society or the world, I mean to include areas surrounding society and social systems. My vision is conceived on the balance among nature, earth, human thoughts and subconscious, collective conscience, the universe, and energy.
