TAKERU AMANO JAPAN, b. 1977

As a child, I loved drawing on brand-new umbrellas and rain boots. For my kindergarten graduation project, my class built a life-sized helicopter big enough for people to sit inside. I desperately wanted to make it fly. When I was 10, I saw a Keith Haring exhibition at a department store near my home and discovered that painting on walls was a thing. Inspired, I grabbed some Tamiya model spray paint and headed to the local public swimming pool to paint on its walls. After that, paper became just a tool for sketching.

 

When I was around 15, I visited St. Peter's Basilica and saw Michelangelo's Pietà. It was then that I decided I wanted to become a sculptor. At 20, I saw Andy Warhol's The Last Supper in New York, which sparked my interest in printmaking. That experience led me to create painted sculptures and prints while living in New York. In Paris, I found inspiration in Rodin, caught a glimpse of Monet on the streets, and felt encouraged by the works of Léonard Foujita. Art has always been my compass, and in the same way, I hope these work can inspire someone else.