“Abstract work is not abstract, but real…”
Paul Zimmerman in conversation with Misa Aihara
Paul Zimmerman: How did you develop interest in art?
Misa Aihara: At the age of 14 I wanted to be an artist-painter. I had art training at an art college.
Since then I have always taken the way of being an artist at every crossroad in my life.
PZ: Have you always been an abstract artist?
MA: Yes, since I finished art training at the art college.
PZ: Where do you find inspiration for your paintings?
MA: Any place where I am. I always have some ideas in the mind and am ready to catch anything significant to them. Also my works often give me inspiration.
PZ: What is the most challenging aspect of your work?
MA: I want to give an emotional and spiritual impact to a composition of figurative abstract elements.
I want to say that abstract work is not abstract, but real. The concept of my artwork is “color to philosophize”.
PZ: What is your artistic process? How do you create your woks?
MA: After getting an idea I try to enrich it by thinking and adding more information. Then I make it clear with a lot of sketches. When I felt my emotion set deep enough into the subject, I start painting directly on canvas.
PZ: How do you select titles for your paintings?
MA: I explore the reality of a painting. I make it in abstract artwork. I avoid any title which means something material. Most of the titles mean “Work + date”.
PZ: How do you know when the painting is finished?
MA: The image in my mind tells me its finish.
PZ: What is art for you?
MA: Something I should complete in my life.
PZ: What are you working on now?
MA: I just started a series of works in gray scale.
PZ: How does the pandemic influence your work and sensibility?
MA: I see that humans do not have omnipotence. However, they are doing their best.