《專訪：日本藝術家阿部友生》｜從日本傳統漆藝到《涅槃》，從香川走到美國的藝術家

藝之森文化主編：陳紫瑜；高級記者：聶靜雯

陳紫瑜 序：

根據歷史紀錄，約7000多年前，我們中國就開始懂得製作漆器，而日本也是被發現在多千年前，就已存在漆器。在日本不同的地區，都有一套做漆器的方法。例如，有一種源自於室町時代中期的小田原漆器，主要運用櫸木製作，強調原木之美。另一種則是香川的漆器，這時就要提到一位重要人物——玉楮象谷，他在京都學習漆器製作的時候，專門研究了中國和東南亞傳來的漆器技法，在兩者的基礎上，創立了香川漆藝獨自的技法。香川漆藝的特色是透過色漆進行色彩搭配，以及用雕刻刀雕刻細緻的花紋。

這次邀請接受採訪的藝術家阿部友生就出生於日本香川縣，他的藝術創作，尤其是他最喜愛的一副作品《涅槃》，就是從日本漆器技法獲得啓發。讓我們一齊來挖掘他創作的背後：

阿部友生 Yusei Abe

出生於日本香川縣，插畫家，版畫藝術家，平面設計師。

18歲時移居美國加州，並在加州州立大學長灘分校（California State University Long Beach）獲得了美術學士學位，主修插畫。。

他的作品深受日本和歐洲神話，以及他童年時所讀過的童話故事影響。他最喜歡用針管筆和鋼筆進行創作，畫作多以黑白為主，充滿豐富的細節，描繪了各種奇幻、神秘的生物。

2014年起，他的作品在美國、澳洲、夏威夷等多個地方被展出。

2021年4月，他從美國回到日本，目前在香川縣生活和工作。

阿部友生 Yusei Abe 採訪正文：

Carmen：你是從什麼時候開始這種畫風的？

阿部：從2010年開始，在學院的時候，我就開始畫畫了。風格跟我現在的有點不同，但鋼筆和墨水一直是我最愛用的繪畫媒介之一。

Carmen：你在18歲的時搬到了加州，之後獲得了加州州立大學長堤分校（California State University Long Beach）的美術學士學位，主修插畫。對你來說那是一次愉快的留學經歷嗎？你認為在美國學習藝術和在日本學習藝術有什麼不同?

阿部：那絕對是一次改變人生的經歷。一切對我來說都是新的。我搬到美國的時候，完全沒有一個可以依靠的人。很有挑戰性，也很快樂。我還沒在過日本學習藝術，所以我也不太確定。但是在日本的藝術學校里學習可能更難吧，尤其是在東京藝術大學這樣的公立藝術學校。我高中的一位美術老師就花了三年時間才獲得錄取。這也是我決定在美國學習藝術最大的原因之一。

Carmen：創作細節如此豐富的畫作是需要很足夠的耐性吧？一般來說，完成一副作品需要多長時間？

阿部：看尺寸，通常小幅得作品需要5-7天的時間來完成。當我開始頭腦風暴，會在速寫本上畫上一堆蹩腳的圖案，然後用它們畫一些小草圖。等我確定了構圖以後會再用描圖紙繪制畫稿。有時，我會跳過這個過程，直接在木板上繪畫。我很喜歡木板，喜歡木板的紋理，也希望能將它們在我的繪畫作品里呈現出來。我的繪畫過程，基本就是這些步驟。而在上色過程中，我會先用水彩和水粉顏料繪制背景，然後再給整幅畫的上色。這會是壓力最大的地方，因為很耗功夫，而且如果出現了一個小錯誤，整幅畫可能就被毀掉了。

至於其他大幅的作品，比如在我上一場個展上展出的《涅槃》（Nirvana），繪制的時間就需要更長。我花了大約3-4個星期才完成那件作品。我在板面上塗了5到8層不同的清漆，以達到光滑、像綢緞一樣的效果。(我還用了不同的砂紙來逐層打磨拋光。)

Carmen：經常能看到駱駝、鳥、戴帽子的男人出現在你的畫作里，這些元素有什麼寓意？從哪裡找到創作靈感？

阿部：這些只是我最近很喜歡的題材。我很喜歡在我的藝術創作里描繪那些想象出來的角色，想象它們會有怎樣的旅程。騎著駱駝、戴著帽子、身披鬥篷的男人，是我最喜歡的一種旅行方式吧。

Carmen：目前為止，你最滿意的作品是哪一幅呢？喜歡的原因是？

阿部：很難選。但如果一定要選一幅的話，那應該是《涅槃》，因為它對我來說是個很大的挑戰。我花了很大功夫，採用了不同的媒介，像水彩和各種清漆，才完成了那副作品。

Carmen：最近有沒有什麼人或事讓你受到了啓發？跟我們分享下一兩個具體的事情，以及它們是如何直接或間接地影響你的創作的。

阿部：最近，我很喜歡日本的傳統漆藝（Urushi-nuri)。我來自香川縣，漆藝是我家鄉最出名的傳統工藝。經過打磨、雕漆等工藝呈現的光滑表面、充滿層次感的黑色能給到我一種平靜和安詳的感覺，就像置身在深海裡。《涅槃》的靈感也是從漆藝里獲得的。我一直在思考如何將傳統漆藝善加利用到我的創作上。

Carmen：最后，想问一下你今年想完成的目标，以及你这辈子想完成的事情是什么呢?

阿部：我下一個目標，我想不僅在商業畫廊里，還想在公共機構里展出我的繪畫作品。另外就是，像前面講到的，我想瞭解更多關於日本傳統漆藝技術。至於「終極」目標，我可能還沒有找到，雖然我回到日本已經有一年的時間了，但目前還在過渡階段，我會努力找到那個目標的。

English Version :

Yusei Abe

Born in Kagawa, Japan, illustrator, fine art printmaker, and graphic designer.

He moved to California at the age of 18 and earned a Bachelor of Fine Art from California State University Long Beach specializing in illustration. Fine pen and ink is his favorite medium in most of his artwork. Influenced by Japanese and European mythology, and fairy tales that he read in his childhood, most of his drawings are black and white and rich in detail, depicting different kinds of fantastic and mysterious creatures.

Since 2014, his artwork have been exhibited in the US, Australia, and Hawaii.

In April 2021, He moved back to Japan and currently lives and works in Kagawa.

Carmen: When did you begin drawing like this style?

Yusei: I started making art with pen when I was in the community college in 2010. The style was a little different from what I am doing right now, but I still remember pen and ink were one of my favorite media to use. 

Carmen: At the age of 18, you moved to California and then graduated with a Bachelor of Fine Art from California State University Long Beach specializing in Illustration. Was it a good experience for you? Do you think it is different to study art in the US than in Japan? 

Yusei: It was definitely a life-changing experience. Everything was new to me. I had no one to depend upon when I moved there. It was really challenging but I also enjoyed it.

I have not studied art in Japan so I am not so sure about it. But I think the study at art schools in Japan is probably harder, especially at the public art schools like Tokyo University of the Arts (東京藝術大学). One of my art teachers from high school spent 3 years getting admitted. That is one of the biggest reasons why I decided to study art in the US.

Carmen: It really takes a lot of patience to finish a richly detailed drawing, right? How long does it usually take to complete a piece of work? Tell me about the process of creating

Yusei: It depends on what size of the art I am working on, but it usually takes me like 5-7 days to complete. I start by brainstorming, making a bunch of crappy drawings on my sketchbook, and then making some small thumbnail sketches with them. Once I decide on the basic layout, I transfer it to tracing paper. Sometimes I skip this process and just draw directly on wood panels. I have used wood panels as my favorite drawing surface. Because I like the feel of wood and I like to show some wood patterns in my drawings. That is all I do in the drawing process. And in the painting process, I use watercolor and acrylic gouache to paint the background, and then the surface. This is probably the most stressful part because it is time-consuming and a small mistake could ruin it all.

As for my larger pieces, such as Nirvana, which was exhibited at my last solo show, took me more time. That piece took me about 3-4 weeks to complete. I put 5-8 layers of different kinds of varnish on the panel to achieve a smooth, almost satin-like surface. (I also buffed each layer with different sandpapers.)

Carmen: I always can see birds, camels, and a man in a hat in your drawing. Any meaning of them? Where did you find the inspiration?

Yusei: There are just my recent favorite subjects. I always like to draw about the journey of my characters in my art. Camels, the man in a hat and cloak is my favorite style of… making a journey.

Carmen: Which piece of work is your favorite so far? And why?

Yusei: Difficult to choose one. But maybe Nirvana. It was really a challenge for me. I used different media such as watercolor and various varnishes to accomplish it.

Carmen: Yes, I also like “Nirvana”. The man in a robe with orange roses really impressed me. What are you trying to say?

Yusei: Actually, it was the main piece of work for the last solo show. The concept of the show was a journey of creatures living in a dream. I wanted to make something about the afterlife. That is a place where people could find themselves at the end of their life journey, without exception.

Carmen: What people or things are inspiring you these days? Tell me a little bit about one or two specific things, and how they are directly or indirectly influencing your work.

Yusei: I enjoy the Japanese Urushi-nuri (Japanese traditional lacquer coating art on painting, wood crafts, and dishes) these days. It is also what my hometown Kagawa is famous for. The smoothness of well-polished surfaces and the layered black give a calm and serene feeling like deep in the ocean. That is actually where I got the inspiration for Nirvana. I have been trying to use the technique of Urushi-nuri in my work.

Carmen: I’d like to end our interview by hearing about your personal goals. Could you share something you’d like to accomplish this year, and then something you’d like to accomplish in your life time?

Yusei: My next goal is to exhibit my art not only in commercial galleries but also in public institutions. Also, as mentioned before, I want to know more about the Japanese traditional Urushi-nuri technique.

It has been a year since I returned to Japan. I haven’t been able to find out my artistic goal for my life time yet. I am still in the transition and trying to find out the goal.