Interview Keita Sagaki, for Pen and Ink Drawings,  nominated in Graphism category

- Hello, can you introduce yourself ?
Nice to meet you. My name is Keita Sagaki. I’m from Japan.
I draw a miniature using a pen mainly. Characteristic of my picture is particular motif and little character accumulate it, and to form one big image or masterpiece classic.

- Can you tell us more about your illustrations ? Can you explain us the aim of your art ?
I have two big backbones about creation.
Both of them are caused by an experience of the childhood
One is comics. As you know, Japan is the major comics power. The comics were familiar to me since the days of a child. The comics affect my style very much.
The other is a mandala. It’s religious painting indicating the Buddhism and esoteric Buddhism doctrine. I really watched a mandala for the first time at 10-year-old time.
It was a shocking experience.I strongly felt charm and fear in the impression (bright, psychedelic full color!  And Buddha of minute description !! ) of the mandala
The experience is my trauma. However, I’m inspired in the attentiveness and a bright color of the mandala.
These two visuals are big influence for me
I express the [whole] and [detail] with my creation. I can express it in other words with [universe] and [individual] if I say to a Buddhism style. In addition, it is [macro] and [micro]-relations. Characters and motifs of the detail are images of all things in nature which included us, and the big image expresses universe, cosmos and system.
In a technical aspect,
I don’t draft it. Direct draw it with a pen, off the top of my head.
A tool to use is a pen mainly (gel ink pen of 0.38mm). I express the place of the gray tone with a brush and the India ink which weakened water.

- What are you different projects and plans for 2012 ?
It is not decided. However, the image that I have now is a kaleidoscope. I want to make a work with a kaleidoscope as a motif.
However, it needs one decision.
I am going to participate in a group exhibition in Fukushima.
I lived in Fukushima before for six years.
It is a very memorable place
Fukushima got damage for a big earthquake last year. And Fukushima still has a nuclear power plant and a problem of the radioactivity.
It is necessary for me to be opposite to an earthquake and a nuclear power plant at the exhibition. I think the work that they are reflected.

- What can we wish you for 2012 ?
Thank you. Will you wish for the success of the exhibition in Fukushima