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I make oil paintings with motifs of things that make me feel anxiety, fear, or discomfort.

Images, disconnected from those feelings, emerge in the paintings – which allows for my emotions to become sublimated.

The characteristics of Chihiro Yamada’s paintings are in the carefree brushwork that follows an image whilst also exuding freedom, and moreover this versatility, her use of vibrant colours that liberates the viewers’ minds. The fact that a greatly naïve expression that many of those who paint attempt, is effective as a unique personality, is probably backed by the clear concept as the artist herself puts it, “I wanted to create something where there is a discrepancy from the impression of the content of the depicted motif”. Incidentally, what Yamada’s statement reminds me of is the spirit, “by depicting not as I see something, by slightly warping it, I capture the mystical that should be hiding deep beyond what is in front of my eyes”, that Ryusei Kishida continued to explore. From a diametrically opposite viewpoint to Kishida’s work, Yamada’s work is established by consciously overseeing characteristics tied to things. Her work also reflects symbolically, what could be said as the superficial daily lives we live today.

（Public／Selection Committee Yasuyuki Nakai）