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The motif of my work is the very ordinary things, which surround one in daily life.
Many of the objects I use are called “Fancy (Fanshii)” in Japanese. Those objects are the result of a strong yearning to Western culture by the Japanese. But they neither belong to Western nor Japanese culture. They are kitsch, girly and bad taste.
Those “Fancy” objects have been always very familiar to me, but at the same time, they have perplexed me. They have never been among my favorite things.
They are even like the "uncanny" (by Sigmund Freud) for me. This feeling of “uncanny” and a puzzled emotion, which I can’t explain so well, motivates me a lot to create my artwork.
For example, I created my “chandelier series” with many fluorescent circler lights. These lights became ubiquitous throughout Japan. After I realized the Japanese’ partiality for these white, over bright, fluorescent lights, I was moved to make this body of work. While I was familiar with optics of fluorescent lights, I couldn’t stand the white, over bright lights. This mixed feeling ironically became my motivation to create the series.
I would like to emphasize that the reason why I use “Fancy” things as a motif for my work is not to criticize or make fun of their bad taste. I used them because I felt they symbolized Japan (“Fancy” country, Japan) and they were like a mirror, which reflected the Japanese.
My intention is not expressing directly my negative feeling such as “uncanny” or perplexity in my daily life. It is rather transforming my feels into something delightful, sexy, humorous, strong, and positive through making my work.
“Untitled (FL.100-06)”
2008
130ｘ162cm
Spray paint on canvas
(C)Yuichi Higashionna
Courtesy: Yumiko Chiba Associates
“Untitled (chandelier VII)”
2005
125ｘ110ｘ95cm
Florescent lights, Aluminum frame, Wiring codes, Twist ties, and Stabilizer
(C)Yuichi Higashionna
Courtesy: Yumiko Chiba Associates
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