Interview
Artist Mr. Yota Hanazawa

The Art Performance class in Medaka School began on October the year before last. With an introduction from Mr. Ogasawara who is owner of " Gallery Allyes", young and energetic artists come to manufacture one by one per month. Mr. Yota Hanazawa graduates the postgraduate course of Tokyo National University of Fine Arts and Music this spring. And he is a young man of great promise, at the premature age of twenty-nine, his work of art that is set out along a passage in the pediatric ward is already worth over one million yen.
He has an appearance that is sturdy and shows his mettle, and always moderate smiling face. He is seemingly sportsman. Then, Let's look his " natural face " !

" When I was born, my family lived near Sun-Shine building in Ikebukuro Ward. But, after my father died in my childhood, we moved to Nakano Ward. My younger sister is my junior by one year, and my older sister is my sinior by three years. I gerw up getting between sisters.
Although I liked to draw pictures, it was meat and drink to me to play outside. I liked to pick up somthing dropped or dumped. If I felt those to be beautiful, I picked up and collected. In any case, I wanted to touch anything. When I picked up an edge of razor, I was seriously injured without knowing that both sides of an edge can cut, while I touched it.
I was very fond of insects too. When I was in home, I always looked at an illustrated book of insects. I liked an insect better than a car. After I entered an elementary school, I becomed to like fishing. Except fishing, I went to Takada-no-Baba by roller skating. I had a large playing radius for my age. "
He was absorbed in playing saccer and judo in his junior high school days.
" I had a faint idea that I wanted to do my work concerning bio-technology. However I didn't have what I wanted to do positively. In my third grade of high school, class mates began to get nervous about going on to the university, and to speak same things each other. While hearing that, I thought I don't want to take a same course with others in the future. And when I thought about my future, the best way to express myself was to draw a picture.
Then, I went to consult a teacher of art of my junior high school days, he said, " Anyhow, try to go to preparatry school of art once! " But my grades were dropped out. When I drew a picture freely, I was said, " Your picture is drew with a facile brush. " However, I could never draw a shape of the thing as I watched. In Japan, we are required to be realistic. People are divided into two types. One is a type can draw a shape exactly, the other is that can harmonize adjustment of colors well. The fair sex predominated in preparatory school. They were persons quick to understand, and could draw immediately. But I couldn't. There were some processes in drawing a picture. Firstly drawing shape, secondly putting the undercoat, thirdly ………. However, because I were balked the process in drawing shape, I missed the system from the beginning. I liked to draw a picture, so I thought I had only to do it. But I failed in an admission examination of Tokyo National University of Fine Arts and Music. Two years after went to prepared school, a teacher whom I took lessons from had a different sense of value in contrast to previopus teacher. He said, " Don't be adhere to shape, and you had better draw a picture centuple as much as others. " And conversely I began to gather strength to draw shape gradually.
When I took second examination, the subject was free-drawing. I really didn't know how to do because I was completely habituated to draw shape of objects in preparatory school. After all, I failed.
After second failure, I toured various pictures. At that time, I failed to see anything good in realistic pictures like those of Monet or Renoir. I thought if there was not dynamics in the picture, that was not good. So I begun to think the impressionist school was good. The impressionist school didn't paint in black. The classical school had to dye a shadow black. The impressionist school said there was something in a shadow. After all, the light has many colors, and is refracted, and changes to various colors. Therefore they said there was a color in a shadow. I thought the impressionist school also drew centering around shape. I begun to think I wanted to give expression to my feeling on canvas in all.
At that time, when I looked at a work, " a Scent ", I felt this was great. Something was expressed by quantity of oil colors or touch in this work. I became aware that there was a way of using oil colors or expressing on canvas in all. Then I thought I should introduce such a way in what manner. This is the root of my present works. "
The subject of third entrance examination was to draw a picture with one of wood and city and road as its theme. I supposed " I will succeed in examination absolutely ! " With originality, adherence to oils and brushes, I became aware that I ought to express what I felt.
By looking at a variety of pictures, without studying a history of art, I could naturally understand the stream from classical art to modern art in myself. "
Bcause it appeared to me his life was smooth sailing, I was surprised to hear what he said. He looked as if he had never been beaten up. I became aware of his inner violence.
" When I draw a picture, I don't think anything and can keep my head most. I become irritated not to touch oils, brush or canvus even a moment. I am impatient to feel that I am nonexistent during I don't draw a picture. The reason I continue to draw up to now is I feel that Yota Hanazawa cannot exist if I stop to do. That feeling is I have no choice but to hold to drawing. I suppose I become to be a worthless fellow, if I don't draw a picture.
My private space is the only time I draw a picture, and that is equal to sleeping for me.
During I draw a picture, I loose my head. I become to be severe about time. Because I don't want to waste my time even a minute, I may become to cool off toward others. Owing to concentrating, I forget breakfast menu of this morning. And because I draw a picture just as I feel, I am quick to finish drawing. So I don't want to be looked from others. I bet that isn't my image. "
After the death of his father killed in a plane accident in the early thirties, his mother went to beauty school and opened a beauty studio. Her story also gave me fresh and vivid impression.
" Although my mother didn't make comment on my cource, she was strict in home discipline more than others. When I worked mischief, she threw a stick at me powerfully. That was just like the reign of terror. But now we discuss everything with all the members, and an atmosphere of my famiry became to be democratic.
His mother got a license of a beauty specialist with the thought of bringing up the children while staying at home, and they removed to Nakano where nature remained and built a second house at Tateyama for the sake of child education. It seemed to me that her life was positive and forward-looking, and in her life there were many things that should be taught as a human.

" My works of art is understood from old Rugby companion. Canvus is a ground and oils are dirt. I liked playing Rugby in the rain. "

He makes a plan to go to America this spring if it suits his convenience. He will touch something in N.Y. and surely let us look at the shape of Yota Hanazawa more distinctly and powerfully.