Artists
|
Naoki SHIMOYAMA Naoki SHIMOYAMA was born in Gunma Prefecture in 1972 and has been brought up with surroundings by the environments in his family business, like handcrafted professions of his mother and grandfather. He graduated from Master Course of Tama Art University and stepped out as a sculptor career in 2000. After learning art and sculpture in Tama Art University, he has received some of high evaluation for his outstanding technique and accurate expression in three dimensions since his youth career, while he has gotten some awards like “Special Prize” in Nika Art Association, “Encouragement Award” and “Excellent Award” in Sonpo Japan Art Foundation Encouragement Exhibition. SHIMOYAMA has been constantly creating animal sculptures, which make us feel their own fantasy and story having only in animals with his simple and pure feelings, not to make a display of eccentricity. Also, he is suggesting his origin of creation by his following words; “The characteristics and behaviors that familiar animals sometimes display their abilities make me feel far beyond human imaginations. They are attractive and make me feel as though they exist in another dimension”. Particularly in this 2 or 3 years, he is creating sculptures to challenge the expressing ways by inspiring with the important cultural properties called “Old Monkey ”, which was sculpted by Mr. Koh-un TAKAMURA 高村光雲 (1852-1934), who was widened a new phase in the sculpture field during the Meiji period (1868-1912) and was one of sculpture masters in the art history in Japan. As it is proved by his words, “Now I really hope to make a sculpture to be felt some kind of importance in one engraving each by an engraving knife ”, this is a kind of wood engraving expression specified in Japan and also is to be aimed by him. This is also the firm resolution by him, which he would like to go ahead through the royal road as a sculptor. As the music and sports are the great existence in our society to move and fascinate our heart, SHIMOYAMA is creating sculptures with having aspiration that his artwork will be a kind of existence like music and sports. Text by Masaru Nishiyama (Director of H-art Beat Gallery) |