ARTIST TAKUMA TANAKA: A COLOR-INFUSED REBELLION | QUICKFIRE INTERVIEW SERIES

by Rachel Vancelette

Known for blurring the lines between high and low arts, Takuma Tanaka’s bold aesthetic brings to life the characteristics of Japanese artistic traditions of post-war Japanese society while tapping into today’s contemporary consciousness. The artist pays homage to the history of the Western canon of painting while maintaining the socio-cultural visual vernacular of his native Japan. The emotionally nuanced portrayals articulate life’s joys and challenge societal views of the unique individual.

Tanaka’s use of hyper neon and pop colors engage a profound “color-infused rebellion.” The dual abstract expressionist-surrealist approach centers on both the ‘seen’ and ‘unseen’ compositional highlights of each landscape that contribute to a rich moderate human experience. Evocative scenes and the unique contemporary color definition provoke otherworldly experiences and engagements, providing vivid real-life compositions. The artist transforms traditional oral storytelling into a painting reality of quasi-archaeological discovery, tapping into volumes of our everyday contemporary cultural references. Synthesized stylized representations engulf bold mythological themes within a halo-like atmospheric vista in each composition. Tanaka uses a unique, complex visual language of graffiti, hyperrealism, cartoonish forms, and fantasy. The artist makes life-portraiture accessible to mass audiences using narratives reflecting his view of the contemporary desire to present critical issues involving humanity’s survival.

Tapping into the societal trend of the newfound emergence of artistic self-reflection and investigating contemporary personal stories of his subjects, the artist embraces yet at the same rejects the ever-moving pop culture technological revolution. Tanaka’s attempt to slow down the viewer to contemplate, engage and experience each artwork looks toward the importance of historical and contemporary portraiture traditions.

What advice would you give to your younger self or other young inspiring painters?

Just fight it out. I continue to do that today.

Takuma masterfully blurs the lines between the interpersonal practice of the individual and the outward engagement of present-day portraiture, landscape, and immersive abstraction. The paintings present distorted emotional time capsules of narratives echoing today’s society. With rapid globalization and the emergence of new technology at the forefront of everyday life, Tanaka dives into global topics of violence, personal isolation, technological innovation, and humanistic personal diaries focusing on the ideas of the “actions” and “kindness” of humans toward the earth.

Tanaka’s beginnings greatly influenced his involvement in the arts, as he began as a street artist while healing from severe mental illness at age 25. Continuing to respect the western canon of traditional painting, the artistic practice twists and reinterprets storytelling narratives. The processes that challenge each canvas’s construction can be seen as almost sculptural relief and, other times, stain-soaked layering.

What artists have influenced you over the years?

The old masters to contemporary artists have influenced me. I have a particular affinity for David Hockney’s artwork, and his works have taught many of us about the depths of technique and the importance of art theory. I have also studied art theory under Blum & Poe’s contemporary artist Kenjiro Okazaki who provided foundational discussions and ideas on robotics, landscape design, and architecture. The opportunity to study painting techniques and art theory of Eiryo Kanazawa and Yutaka Sasaki still influences my practice today.

The artist’s creative studio practice was heavily influenced after being introduced to works by Jean Michel Basquiat by a close friend. In media interviews in Forbes, Yahoo, and other outlets, Tanaka noted his direct connection and influence of “the fighting spirit of Basquiat.” The sheer act of artmaking on the streets brings the relationship of art directly to the community at large.

Multiple painting series by the artist inspired by Rakugo Japanese tradition remain a traditional form of verbal entertainment today. The practice offers a lone storyteller sitting on a raised platform called a kōza. The conventional art of storytelling developed as entertainment for ordinary citizens during the Edo Period (1603–1868). At first, many different entertainers would perform the generally humorous monologues, but gradually specialists emerged. Rakugo artists depict long, complicated comical stories known as Rakugoka. Tanaka, heavily influenced by this storytelling tradition, activates new engagements of contemporary scenes “from street graffiti to a formal presentation at an art gallery,” each canvas infused with new meta-narratives. The crafted canvas provides symbols, marks, and abstractions lingering in a surreal atmosphere. Heavily gestured strokes within the compositions reveal themselves in unexpected, elusive ways.

The artist contends with engaging real-life subjects by using paint to create an otherworldly environment while devising a hyper-real reality. Facing the topic of individual agency and apocalyptic futurist views, the infusion of colors merges the abstract into near realistic compositions for new optical engagement. Traditional fine art techniques blended with the artist’s natural approach to painting with fluidity and active motion surprises his audience.

What inspires you about the painting process?

I continue to be inspired by music and a woman’s love. Evolution. I continue to use traditional style techniques and mediums to inform and inspire my artistic practice.

At first glance, each artwork appears happy and bright; yet the artist continues challenging the viewers’ interruptions of classic scenes, emotions, and landscape environments. With further investigation, the viewer will find new storytelling fantasy narratives tapping into powerful stories on humanity and our human condition. Tanaka is investigating, almost like a scientist, humanity’s evolutionary DNA, revealing the simplicity of everyday human encounters and combining creative meta-narratives into dystopic scenes dealing with conflict, love, power, and justice.

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