statement | sachikomiki

Inside of human being

My sculptor career started with a question - what shape does a human have inside its appearance? We often say we should not judge someone by his/her look, but what will he/she look like once all decorations such as one’s clothes, makeup, and title are removed? In order to consider one’s constitution without adornments, I initially focused on what I believe existed within my outer shell, including negative features such as my own ignorance and being emotional in certain moments.

When I was small, I was introverted and emotional, but I liked boyish things like wearing pants and a comic book character named Ultraman. An observable gap between my inner feelings and my boyish side became a catalyst to start thinking about outer and inner components of a human being.

A sculpture only needs a shape where the surface is exposed while the inner space is concealed. Sculpting has been a great fit for me to interpret my own thoughts.

I had been a strong swimmer from the age of 4 to 18 years old. I tried triathlon competitions during my university years, followed by competitive skiing, hill climbing and rock climbing. I am not the best at any of them. However, there are things you understand through continuously challenging yourself. The same thing can be applied to making sculptures. It is not easy to create a figure exactly as intended. What you want to express may exist within your sub-consciousness. I will continue to probe my sub-consciousness until a shape appears.

私の彫刻は、「人間の中身ってどんな形だろう？」という疑問から出発しました。

「人間は見た目じゃない」なんていうけれど、人間から自分を飾る服や、良く見せる化粧、立派そうな肩書き、そんなものをみんな取り去ったら？そうして出てきた形は、よく宇宙人みたいと言われます。それは知っているようで知らない、自分自身でもあります。私のつくる彫刻は、いつもと少し違う角度から見る人間の姿です。

内気で泣き虫だけどパンツとかウルトラマンとか、男の子っぽいものが好きだった。自分の内側の感覚と外見や好みとのギャップが人間の内側と外側を考えるきっかけだった。そこに物があるだけで表面が出来、中側がうまれる彫刻は、私が考え事をするのにとても合っていた。考え事は身体でする。4歳から18歳まで水泳をしていた。大学時代にはトライアスロン、それから競技スキー、今も山登り、クライミングなどをする。どれも決してうまくはないが、続けることでわかることがある。彫刻も同じだ。器用に思い通りには作れない。しかし本当に表現したいものが出てくるまで手を動かし続ける。