KYNE talks about her recent situation and Shibuya. | feature

PROFILE

KYNE

Based in Fukuoka, Fukuoka, Japan, he began his career around 2006, and his style, which is strongly influenced by 1980s pop culture, has gained support from a wide range of people of all ages. In addition to holding exhibitions of his work, he also actively engages in design and CD jacket illustration, and in 2019, he just opened a creative studio and store "ON AIR" in Daitabashi, Tokyo, with new colleagues.

It's just an ordinary view of Shibuya now, but I can't wait to see what it will look like 10 years from now.

I can now spend more time with my work."

I would like to start by asking you what you have been up to recently.

KYNE: As a major event, we opened "ON AIR" in Daitabashi, Tokyo last year. Originally started in my hometown of Fukuoka, the main members of ON AIR are now about 50-50 split between Tokyo and Fukuoka. At first, we were looking for a place for the Tokyo members to work, but we found a property with an understanding owner and a floor plan that would allow us to sell products, and we decided to open the store space as well. Unlike Fukuoka, it is a bit far from the center of the city, so it is more like a gathering of relatives than a place where many customers come.

Let's talk about the exhibition. First of all, congratulations again on your solo exhibition. Three years have passed since your last exhibition "KYNE TOKYO".

KYNE: In the past, I had to spend a lot of time on miscellaneous tasks other than production, but recently I have been able to communicate and manage my schedule through the gallery, which has allowed me to concentrate more on my own work and less on the production of artworks. This is one of the biggest changes for me. Also, since there are fewer budget restrictions than before, I have been able to give up on some of the things I wanted to try, but now I am able to give more and more of them a final shape.

How do you feel?

KYNE: There are some aspects that I miss a little, such as the differences in values with those close to me and the changes in the people I interact with, but above all, I am now able to value my own intentions.

Some people like the Shibuya of today, while others are drawn to the old Miyashita Park.

I was very impressed by the expression on the girl's face in the main artwork.

KYNE: Shibuya is really changing rapidly. Some people may be happy to see this change, while others may feel a bit sad or wistful. I wanted to express these aspects without focusing on any one emotion, and that's how I ended up with this expression.

You have always said that you want the recipient to interpret your work freely.

KYNE: I still feel the same way. In this case, for the first time, we used the newly completed "RAYARD MIYASHITA PARK" in Shibuya as a background for the characters. I think it is natural that some people are excited about the new and improved Shibuya, while others are sentimental about the old Miyashita Park. Of course, even the same person may feel differently depending on his/her state of mind at the time. So, as much as possible, I don't want to interfere with the various feelings of the viewers, and I hope that they will perceive the works freely at each moment.

I have seen works that incorporate cityscapes in the frame layout before, but it was very refreshing to see a work that integrates the characters.

KYNE: I have always wanted to do something like this, but I have never had the chance. This time, however, the opening exhibition was to be held at a new iconic location in Shibuya, and the keyword "location" was in my mind from the beginning, so I consulted with the people around me and presented my idea to the gallery, and we decided on the current form. I consulted with the people around me and came up with the idea for the gallery.

But the building of "RAYARD MIYASHITA PARK" was not yet completed at the production stage, right?

KYNE: That's right. So, I had to draw the building from my imagination to some extent by asking my friend in Tokyo to send me photos of the site and by looking at the completion plans. I also had a strong impression and memory of Shibuya at night rather than in the daytime, so I incorporated the neon lights and car lights of the city at night into the work, while developing my own image of Shibuya at night after the completion of "RAYARD MIYASHITA PARK". I incorporated neon lights and car lights of the city at night into the work.