Hirotaka Suzuki

After finishing his Bachelor Degree in Japan, Hirotaka moved to the United States where he earned his MFA from Claremont Graduate University, CA in 2000. Since then he has been actively honing his craft and creating numerous paintings, as well as showing his work at several galleries.

Artist Statement

Perhaps I am painting the cruelty of contemporary life because it is in opposition to my naive outlook. In contrast with the physical features of my paintings, I think I am visualizing my feeling of anxiety in contemporary life. Though I do not think I am fully aware of the relationship between this cruelty and my anxiety, I represent this unsure feeling as figuratively as possible, and I am trying to figure it out in my painting.

Although there are some prominent aspects of our contemporary world, such as commercialism and materialism, I cannot say who my enemy is. Some of the threats might involve the art world, however to protest such issues overtly does not suit my personal outlook. We cannot live in a developed society unless we depend on its complex social rules.

Following the rules and social values provides us with stability. However, each of us creates exceptions, unstable rules and changeable standards. These double phases never unite, and I do not think they should be. I am really interested in these dilemmas and focus on these realities actually. This ambiguity may be my starting place and the reason I engage cruelty in my artwork.

There does not appear to be a universal justice or evil in the present world. We need a grayer position in order to stay peaceful. In other words, I believe the dilemma of today’s morality, which is different from that of yesterday am, surely has helped develop my insight. Thus, my message cannot be a negation or an affirmation. My attitude in my artwork is a reflection of what the contemporary world is to me; my painting is my introspective confession. I believe I am making right artwork.