Shinro Ohtake

Shinro Ohtake engages in diverse artistic expressions, including drawing, painting, sculpture, and photography, as well as creating large-scale assemblage pieces, experimental music, and videos. However, his practice of collage truly stands out as his most distinctive form of artistic expression.

The artist draws inspiration from 20th-century art movements such as Dada, Surrealism, and Pop Art, and he acknowledges the profound influence of the British painter David Hockney on his work.

Ohtake's fascination with cultural ephemera is evident as he utilizes it as a means of self-documentation. Through the layers of his collage work, he weaves intricate maps of memory and time, creating a unique visual narrative.

Biography of Shinro Ohtake 

Shinro Ohtake, born in 1955, currently maintains an artistic presence in both Uwajima and Tokyo.

In 1974, Ohtake began his academic journey by enrolling in the oil painting department of Musashino Art University. During his studies, he took several leaves of absence, embarking on travels to Hokkaido and London. After these transformative periods of exploration and self-discovery, he returned to his studies, ultimately graduating in 1980.

Throughout his remarkable artistic journey, Ohtake has garnered international acclaim and established himself as a prominent figure in contemporary Japanese art. His breakthrough came with his participation in the 2012 documenta exhibition, and he further solidified his status as an influential artist through his involvement in the 2013 Venice Biennale.

Shinro Ohtake's art style

Shinro Ohtake's artistic style is anchored by his ongoing Scrapbooks project, initiated in 1977. These books, spanning over 700 pages, delve into layered perceptions, memories, and archaeology, serving as visual records of Ohtake's life experiences. They draw from his travels, dreams, and personal encounters, reflecting Ohtake's fascination with cultural ephemera as a means of self-documentation. Through his creative process, which involves assembling collected materials to construct a personal narrative, the collage layers function as maps of memory and time.

In addition to his work in the realm of visual art, Ohtake undertook an architectural project on the Japanese island of Naoshima, completed in 2009. Known as the I Love Yu Bath House, this public bathhouse is a functional and inventive fusion of architectural pastiche, sculpture, and collaged imagery. Intriguingly, the bathhouse incorporates a collage of erotica lining the tiles. Staged within the communal setting of a bathhouse, Ohtake's art symbolizes popular culture as a realm of shared memory, reflecting the visual complexity of the structure's stylistic elements, which are both multifaceted and ever-changing.