Lives and works in Japan – b. 1957, Shiga, Japan.

1984 Completed Graduate studies at Tokyo National University of Fine Arts and Music / Majored in sculpture [M.F.A]

Experience

Currently：President of Okinawa Prefectural University of Arts

2019 Kamijo Fumiho and Hatano Izumi (Okinawa Prefectural Museum & Art Museum)

1999 Stayed at National Taiwan College of Arts as a Guest Artist and Associate Professor

Artists Statement

Beyond Observation

by Izumi Hatano

“A sculptor wants to grasp things. He wants to see everything as if he were grasping them. To his eyes, everything does not appear as it does in the so-called ‘picture.'" (Takamura Kotaro, “Shokkaku no sekai" 1928)

I have mainly worked with the aim of concrete expression. While often starting from learning much from nature, I must avoid the temptation of blind imitation. I want to see what lies beyond the observation. When I see a sculptural element in the way the subject is, such an encounter comes unexpectedly. The wonders of creation are omnipresent, and I long to admire them in some form. When facing people, this transforms into a form of portraiture.

In terms of technique and material, my work began with human observation through modeling, bronze, and terracotta, and I also did a little bit of stone, but in recent years I have mainly used wood carving and dry lacquer in combination. I want to remove and add. In any case, because I am so tenacious, it takes time and involves a lot of work, but for the sculptor, going through the tedious process and waiting until he sees what he is looking for is precisely the most blissful experience.

(Note: The English version was translated from the Japanese version by the artist with the help of software. Please refer to the Japanese version for the exact meaning.)