Teo Josserand - Suzume Uchida

06.04.23, 日々が光

To start with, who is Suzume Uchida?

I am an artist. I do painting and drawing.
What my works have in common is the feeling of rawness that comes from the original experience
rather than negative emotions.

I express this rawness in a realistic way by drawing a down-to-earth approach.
I started collaborating with Yohji Yamamoto beginning with the Yohji Yamamoto POUR HOMME SS/18 collection.

Since then, we have continued to work on different initiatives every year.

The exhibition in Japan is named after the title “Day to Day is Light”, is there a distinctive
meaning that you wanted to share with us through this title?

I wanted to convey the idea of the fact that we actually don’t want to miss the important events
shining through everyday life, which we take for granted. I think that when you are busy, you tend to
lose sight concerning more important things. Lately, I also feel that days are passing at the speed of light.

Your artworks are heavily inspired by your past personal experiences, such as your anorexia,
for example. Has the light finally come out after the darkness in your life?

Finding the light is my mission. By preserving that light through my paintings, I hope to help
someone else. I’m painting from my own personal experience, because I do believe that experiences
from reality are what makes people move.

While the brush is in your hand and you're painting canvases, what kind of emotions run through your body and mind?

I always feel like I’m facing painting as if my life depended on it. It is actually difficult to reproduce
the exact views that you want to see. Are you lying to yourself? Is it a good piece of art?

I always askmyself these questions when I’m painting.

Which feelings bring you colored and black & white paintings?

This is quite hard to explain with words. Colors and scenes are vaguely floating in my mind.

I think that I tend to use the blue when I’m feeling fresh, and monochrome when I’m feeling deeply depressed.

As you have always been living and creating in Japan since your day one, do you feel that
your heart belongs to Tokyo, or could you imagine being somewhere else?

My heart is rooted in Tokyo at the moment. It’s because I’ve lived in Tokyo for so long that pieces of
my memories are scattered all over this place. There are a lot of important people here. I believe it is
the encounters with people that change your life. So if I meet important people, elsewhere, in the
future, I might even live abroad to produce my work.

Being a renowned artist for the collaboration with Yohji Yamamoto, how does it feel to see
your artworks walking down the runway, and being worn by peoples around the world?

I’m happy that I can paint. I feel that there are good things coming from being alive.

I am always looking forward to people from all over the world posting their imagery on Instagram.

The images printed on my clothes sway in the wind, appearing as they gained a soul.

Please, everyone, carry my soul with you by wearing my clothes.

Lastly, could you define the world of Suzume Uchida in two terms?

Love and true feelings.

I wonder if the meaning and role of my birth in this world lies through expression. I am hoping that all
who haven’t seen my paintings yet, can communicate with my artwork with their own hearts. People
who will encounter my paintings after my death. People who can be moved by the art. People who,
deep down, are actually looking for salvation. To do this, I think it is important for me to leave my
heartfelt feelings throughout my work.

As long as people will still be people, whether in 100 or 200 years, I believe that my feelings for
today will be properly conveyed to these people in the next life. Hoping that my works will remain
after my death, and my feelings embedded in them. All of that will be able to touch people's hearts for
hundreds of years from now.

Behind the scenes video by Atelier 5E