Misaki Kawai
Misaki Kawai is a playful artist, whose unique and eccentric ideas have seen her work on projects from fashion to furniture, including collaborations with P.A.M. and Paddle8. fluoro spoke to Kawai about what influences her playful approach to art.
Kawai approaches her work in an intuitive manner, “I see making art in the way that it is an experiment in a laboratory. I follow my feeling and search for a surprise in something new.” It is perhaps this exploratory approach that allows her to conceive unconventional ideas free from constraint.
Misaki Kawai was born in Osaka, Japan and is currently living and practicing art in New York, US.
(f) Do your stints in Asia allow you to bring a perspective to your practice in New York? How?
(MK) Being in Asia is so important to me. I have just spent a few months with only a small backpack, in villages where people have never seen the buildings of New York. Meeting many different people is making me think about what is really important in our life… but also giving me a fresh perspective for creating new works.
(f) You have mentioned the challenges of practicing art in Japan, what does the energy of New York allow you to achieve that you could not in Japan?
New York allows me to think about infinite ideas, and actually some of these ideas become real.
(MK) Of course in Japan I feel relaxed and at home. But in Japan I might be the crazy one that is making art and thinking of ideas like ‘riding a big hairy dog to go and buy bananas!’ Amongst my friends this is ok, but the way of thinking is different with Japan’s society.
(f) Osaka is known for its comedy – did the city have an influence on the humour seen in your work?
(MK) Osakan people are so funny. When I walk around Osaka I find humour in the advertisements, one I remember is an advertisement for a funeral home, ‘alien had a funeral last night at our place.’ There is comedy everywhere in Osaka.
(f) What brand or artist would you most like to share ideas with and work together on a future project? Why?
(MK) Could be children, so we can make dreamy ideas come true.
Could be architect, so we can make fun colurful city.
Could be village chief, so we can make fuzzy ceremony.
Could be any environment friendly company, so we can make healthy wrinkly brain.
Could be scientist, so we can make 4D ideas in the lab.
Could be pandas, so I can comb his hairs.
Could be alien, so we can have exhibition in Mars.
www.misakikawai.com
