Shingo, please tell us a bit about the relationship between you and your father (Sam Francis).

Shingo:  When I was young I had a lot of conflict about having an artist father-it was both helpful and burdening. I loved painting and did not want to give it up but at the same time, I was going through a struggle to find myself. Back then I felt like I had to deal with my father, well now I don’t feel like that anymore.

I saw the possibilities of painting when I was growing up. When we were little, my father would give us a corner of his studio to paint. He would come to us and say “how about this, how about that”… so it was very much like a workshop and I loved it.  But when I was 12 or 13 I had a real push back against painting. After school, I used to go to his studio and wait for him to finish work so we can walk home together.  He would ask me to paint like the “good old days” but I started to refuse him. I just thought it was his thing, and not mine. I think that made him sad.

I loved reading and writing and enjoyed expressing myself with words so I decided to major in creative writing for university.  At the same time, I was always illustrating.  Illustrating my stories and poems, but no paintings. Long story short, when I was a freshman in college I had to take an art class as an elective. For that, I didn’t have a lot of money so I thought I’d get some paints from my dad, went over to his studio and grabbed some stuff.  I started painting and everything came back to me. I realized how much I missed and loved painting.

I went through a lot of mixed feelings after that, because around the same time I was having difficulties with words as well since words are can be so specific. I was hitting a wall and wanted to express myself visually. The answer was simple. I realized I am more visual.  So, I changed my major from creative writing to visual arts… and my father was NOT happy about it (laughs).  When I told him that I changed my major he looked at me and said “So you wanna be a painter. Well, you’re gonna have to deal with me”.  I had no idea what he was talking about back then, but a few years into it when I was really trying to find myself,I started to realize what he was talking about.  I have so much of him in me.

I was working for an artist called Ed Moses then, and when I told him about my problem and how I was having a hard time trying to find myself because everywhere I turned I was called “Sam’s son” and how I kept comparing our works.  Ed said “Don’t try to run away from it, you have to go through it. Once you go through it, you will find yourself. If you run away, you will be running away for years”.  This was a great advice, it made me feel like I should just be natural. However I paint, my way of painting is fine.

After that, I left LA for a bit which also helped because in LA I was surrounded by my father’s world but in New York or Japan I was not.

How about you Christian, how did you get yourself into art?

Christian:  I was brought up in East Germany, and when the wall fell in 89, everything broke down. I was playing soccer then, but even the indoor sports club broke down because of the complete change in system.  So all of a sudden we were playing outside on streets. I was raised near a train depot, so all the spray graffiti artists from West Berlin came to my area, spray painting the trains. No one cared, the police didn’t care because they had other worries.

Which gave a lot of freedom in the early 90s, a lot of space for creativity. I would play soccer, basketball, graffiti, breakdance, all of that! Rapping, you name it. So I grew up in a very urban scene.  It was all about the groove and the community. Being raised in socialism, having had experienced only the good side of it, has definitely shaped my view of arts. I was never interested in the vandal or illegal part of graffiti or the arts, but I was always into the creative part, trying to push the boundaries.

Shortly after in Berlin, we’ve had a lot of conflicts involving the extremists or the right wing, and I thought whoever engages in art and culture will open up their mind because art builds bridges and makes you a better human. This thought led me to decide to paint large outdoor murals. The intention was not only to paint but to educate people to embrace differences through workshops and bring people together. I always try to engage with the public for these projects and they have had a good cause.

I have done a large mural called Adanzé which means a cordial welcome in different West African languages, inspired by my travel to Burkina Faso.  This at a glance looks like an abstract tapestry but at the same time like a bouquet of flowers so it’s about greetings. This painting financed a school in Kassan/Burkina Faso, near the border to Mali, that currently teaches over 300 students. Next project is to build a hospital. So there, art can really build bridges.

I first wanted to be an art and sports teacher because I didn’t know that art could be a profession for me. Everyone, of course, said don’t become an artist. They all said “Do something serious. Become a lawyer, doctor, policeman, you can be anything but please, don’t be an artist”.  I can see what they mean now,  it is really tough. Only a few percentages of artists can make their living just with their art in Germany and I guess similar in Japan. But I think artists are one of the most important professions in the society because we give the impulses for change. We are the real engine of society and question its norms all the time.

How do you think we can communicate the importance of having art in one’s life, when it is at the bottom of the list for so many people?

Christian: That is why I feel this exhibition is so important because Japan is starting to open up now. The world has got so much bigger but at the same time so much smaller. We definitely can learn and see the differences and similarities from one culture to another and art helps with that. I think a lot of people don’t have art in their life unless someone introduces them to it and that is why I believe museums should be for everyone.

I want people to find out that art can be fun. Creating this exhibition put many smiles to our faces. It was great seeing kids interacting with our artworks, too, for example some kids were pretending to swim in front of my work. I just love that. That is what art should be about. Art can be very serious at times of course, but it can also be very playful and inspiring.

Shingo: And bring people together right?

Christian: Yes, bring people together.

Shingo: I agree with Christian. In order for Japan to be a progressive society that embraces differences and new ways of thinking, it needs to open up more. I think art can definitely be one way to do that.  Art education at schools tend to be leading towards the technical side but I believe what is important is not about how good you can draw, not about skill levels but it is about being free to express, not being afraid to show your feelings and not be afraid about how others see you. It is very difficult to do this I understand, especially with the social media and we are surrounded by judgement. Whether you are judging or being judged, consciously or unconsciously, there are so much of it in our daily lives nowadays. But I believe individualism is very important. Not the individualism in a selfish “I am the only important one” way but in a way of knowing your own values.

Christian: It’s so nice to see someone coming to a museum and being touched by my works. Some just go through it but I feel like in Japan people really interact with artworks. Some stand in front of my work and inspect every little detail, asking a lot of questions about it.  My works could be overwhelming because they are very colourful and dynamic, and it might be too much for some. It’s not for everyone but it’s important to have your own reaction to an artwork. Shingo and I are hoping to show that during this exhibition with our works and through a workshop. The workshop is not about the outcome, it is more about being free and letting your creativity flow. The process.

Shingo: Even if someone comes to see this show and just feels overwhelmed by the works, for me, just giving the idea to someone that there are many ways to express yourself and multiple ways to bring your thoughts together, is great.  I hope this show breaks that kind of barrier. You don’t have to go to a certain school to be a good artist, it’s more about who you are and how you want to show it. What is inside of you counts.

Christian: A lot of people are very afraid to show their thoughts and feelings especially in Japan I feel. But think about it, when the world is turning to more technologies, what is the human factor? What can we do that machines can’t do? We need to think about our values, and what everything means to us.

So any advice to the digital native generation?

Shingo: Try to unplug sometime and give yourself a little discipline with phones and internet. Go outside and talk to your friends rather than messaging. Start with a couple hours a day, and you will start to see the contrast.

Christian: Go out and live life. Don’t just dream about it, enjoy. Don’t just read or watch videos about it. Experience and see how it is!

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“LAYERS OF NATURE -BEYOND THE LINE”

Sezon Museum of Modern Art
21st April 2018(Sat)-2nd September(Sun)
Open 10:00−18:00(Admission is 30 minutes before closing)
Closed every Thursday(7 days a week in August)

Admission:General¥1,500（¥1,400） College Student ¥1,000（¥900）Student ¥500（¥400）
*()In case of more than 20 people.
—
EVENT

WORKSHOP「Light・Color・Action」Painting experience with Christian Awe and Shingo Francis
Date/Time：11st August 10:30-12:00
Target：first-third grade of elementary school children and parents
Number of positions：10 people
Admission：Free（need a day admission）
How to apply：Call or Fax, please tell your 1.Name, 2.Number of people, 3.Contact information（Telephone/E-mail/Number of FAX
Apply to：03-5579-9725（TEL）03-5579-9726（FAX）

Artist Talk : Shingo Francis, Christian Awe
Presenter：Roger McDonald（NPO Arts Initiative Tokyo[AIT] Deputy Director/Curator）
Date/Time：11st August / 14:00〜
Place：Exhibition room
Number of positions：30 people
Admission：Free（need a day admission）,Reservation is not required.

—
Saka Matsushita

Artist
Born in Japan, raised in New York City, Tokyo and Toronto.

She trained on the Motley Theatre Design Course, London UK.
Prior to Motley, she gained a BA Hons in Costume Interpretation from Wimbledon School of Art (University of the Arts).Throughout and after her studies, she worked on variety of film, theatre and installation projects as a costume/set designer.
She has been working on personal projects since the beginning of 2012 and currently based in Tokyo.
www.sakamatsushita.com
instagram: @sakamat