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In the business world, "creativity" is a powerful force that promotes non-linear growth without being bound by stereotypes. However, it is difficult to imagine a way to hone this ability. There is an artist who uses this creativity as a weapon to create works with the concept of "turning calligraphy into pop art."Calligrapher Yuri Fujiwara.

Fujiwara uses hieroglyphics known as kinbun, which have been used since the Shang and Zhou dynasties in China, in his works. He combines them with motifs from Western and Japanese paintings to create a large number of works.

At first glance, calligraphy and pop art seem like polar opposites. How did the concept of "turning calligraphy into pop art" come about? Also, how does Fujiwara get his ideas flowing on a daily basis? We asked him about ideas that can be applied to business, looking back at his activities so far.

Calligrapher and designer
Yuri Fujiwara

Born in Saga Prefecture on July 1986, 7, and raised in Fukuoka Prefecture. Graduated from Fukuoka Prefectural Shuyukan High School and Keio University Faculty of Letters majoring in Sociology. Started calligraphy at age 4, and obtained a teacher's license at age 6. Started working as a photographer in 17. Currently working as a company employee while creating works as an artist. Since 2009, he has exhibited mainly in Tokyo, and his works are sold both domestically and internationally. He also works as a fiber artist, using string, yarn, and other materials, including macrame.

https://www.uri777.com/portfolio
https://www.instagram.com/macrameeverywhere/

An encounter with "free calligraphy" that gave birth to "calligraphy x pop art"

—— First of all, could you tell us how you first encountered calligraphy?

I started calligraphy when I was 6 years old. I took up many lessons from a young age, such as swimming and piano, but calligraphy was the only one I found fun and continued.

Calligraphy is generally practiced by following a model, called "classical writing". Some people may remember writing four-character idioms like "traffic safety" in elementary school. There are two types of calligraphy to learn: regular and semi-cursive, or three types including cursive.

However, the calligraphy club at the high school I joined was different. The calligraphy styles, characters, and paper sizes were all different, and everyone was expressing themselves however they wanted. I still vividly remember being surprised at how free calligraphy could be.

At the same time, I came across "jinin" (bronze inscriptions), characters engraved on bronze vessels in China around 1600 BC.What first attracted me to the bronze inscriptions was their striking appearance.I found a strange fascination with the fact that these were letters but that I couldn't read them.

In this day and age, "preserving characters" is very costly. I became fascinated by bronze inscriptions as I imagined the thoughts of people in the past, asking myself questions like "Why did they want to write characters?" and "Why did these characters end up in this shape?"

-- You were attracted to calligraphy using bronze inscriptions, so how did the idea of ​​combining it with pop art come about?

Compared to the past, there are fewer homes with Japanese-style rooms. As places to display calligraphy works are decreasing, the calligraphy club often talked about creating calligraphy works that could be displayed in modern homes."What kind of calligraphy work can be displayed in a Western-style room, but in a form other than a hanging scroll?"From this thought, the concept of "calligraphy x pop art" was born.

The idea of ​​drawing pictures with letters was heavily influenced by the Islamic art of Arabic calligraphy. Since idolatry is prohibited in Islam, Arabic calligraphy characters are used to express ideas and worldviews. I was shocked at the time to see that there was a way to express so much with letters, and from there I started creating works that depicted shapes with letters.

I started out by drawing circles (◯), then squares, triangles, and various other shapes, and as I moved on, I wondered what it would be like to draw a human face, so I decided to try drawing a portrait. At first, I drew only in black and white and ink, as an extension of calligraphy, but now I add color to express finer details such as shadows and the shape of the eyes, and I create works that combine my other hobby, handicrafts.

He resumed creating art for the first time in seven years by participating in an event. His desire to draw was stronger than the opinions of those around him.

-- Currently, you work for a regular company while also engaging in artistic activities. After graduating from high school, did you continue with calligraphy and creating artwork?

After graduating from high school, I joined a calligraphy club at university, where I copied and created my own works. There was no one around me who made works like mine. I might have been thought of as an oddball. But when I showed my works and explained that they were actually characters called kinbun, many people were surprised. I found their reactions interesting and continued to create works.

However, after graduating from university and joining a regular company, there was a period when I took a break from creating works.

I thought about working in a design position, but many companies require you to be an art school graduate... So I thought I'd first get a job as a general employee and wait for an opportunity to work in design, and joined a mobile content production company. While I was involved in the operation of social games, I also got involved in avatar design, hoping to get some experience with design.

--So there was a period when you left art and worked in a general position.

What prompted me to start creating art again was a music and art event I was involved in for work. I was asked if I would like to draw pictures to display at the event. I hadn't done calligraphy since I started working, so I was a little nervous, but I decided to give it a try.

It's been seven years since I made this work.When I picked up the brush, my hands felt as if I had been writing just yesterday.At that moment, I knew this was it for me.

Once you exhibit at an event, you will be invited to subsequent group exhibitions. As you continue to create works, you will begin to think about working as an artist.

To be honest, until then, I had always thought somewhere in my mind that I shouldn't draw because I'm no good at it. But when many people told me that my work was interesting, that "constraint" inside me started to melt away. Once I started to think that it was okay for me to draw, I started to feel like I wanted to create work.I started to think that I should draw what I wanted to draw, rather than worrying about what others thought of me.

I have never learned to draw, nor have I studied art history. Therefore, I am aware that I create works that are not mainstream and will not appeal to everyone. However, there are some people who praise my work for its unique worldview. It is with the support of such people that I am able to continue my activities.

Everything in daily life becomes the source of a person's unique ideas

-- By freeing yourself from the "restrictions" that had been holding you back, your creativity and imagination began to flow. Now that you have resumed your activities as an artist, is there anything you keep in mind when creating works or coming up with motifs?

I often choose things that I think are good or that I like as motifs for my works. I cherish the sensations that "maybe it's good" or "I like it" from the things I see, touch, and feel every day.Life itself is inspirationOr rather, I create works based on the ideas that come to mind during those times.

I believe that none of the events and people we come into contact with in our lives are a waste. My employment at a regular company, my work in the music industry, and my experience of being unable to draw - all these seemingly unrelated events are all connected to where I am now.

In the first place, the reason I started calligraphy was because my parents happened to let me go to school. If I had learned oil painting, I might have made oil painting art (laughs). That's how I live my life, which is a bit of a whim, blessed with various luck and opportunities, but my philosophy is to jump into any opportunity I'm given with all my might.

What you can do right now,The experience of working solely on something that interests you gives rise to unique ideas.Maybe. My parents, who sent me to these lessons, probably never imagined that I would follow this path (laughs).

そ し て,It is important not to let ideas end as just ideas, but to repeat trial and errorThere are many things you can't know until you paint on a canvas. You may think something is great before you paint it, but when you actually paint it, it may not be so good.

In order to give shape to a good idea, it is important not just to think about it in your head, but to get it out into the open. I think the quickest way is to have someone look at and listen to your idea, get their reaction, and go through as much trial and error and selection as possible.

-- Fujiwara-san, you've made the most of your experiences to get to where you are today. Lastly, what are your goals for the future?

Until recently, I thought that being able to make a living as an artist was "success." But now,Being able to continue doing what you want to do is "success"I want to continue being an artist while working at a company for a long time.

In my case, I think I can balance my work with my work because I'm an office worker. When I was working in the music industry, events were postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and I had a lot of time to draw. At first, I was happy to be able to concentrate on drawing, but when I was too focused on it, I couldn't draw before I knew it. I guess if you immerse yourself in one thing too much, you won't be able to get inspiration.

even now,Good ideas come to me when I come into contact with unknown fields or genres that seem unrelated at first glance.I find that ideas for my works come more when I broaden my world through reading books and working at my job.

I will continue to express something using characters. However, the means may not be limited to bronze inscriptions. I would like to try my hand at creating works using hiragana, kanji, the alphabet, and more.

Continuing to do what you're interested in or what you like may seem easy, but it's actually quite difficult. I want to continue working hard at the things in front of me in order to achieve my own success.

[Interview and text] Fumiaki Sato　
[photograph]Ryuji Hatate
[Planning and editing] Yuko Kawabata (XICA)