Tatsuki Hakoyama on highlighting human experience 'through whimsical, magical lens'
Artist Tatsuki Hakoyama will share advice for CMU art students in his talk on Sept. 26
Central Michigan University alumnus Tatsuki Hakoyama is set to present his collection of art entitled "Through the Magical Lens," focusing on social and human experiences. Hakoyama said he wants to help students answer the question of what to do with their art.
“I’m hoping that students who are in school now, when they see it, they can also see themselves in the field,” he said. “(I want) to show students what the role of an artist is, what being an artist is about and how you can share your thoughts, ideas and visuals with a community."
Hakoyama's artist talk will take place at 6:30 p.m. on Sept. 26 in the Sarah and Daniel Opperman Auditorium, located in the Park Library.
Following the artist talk will be a reception in the Baber Room Gallery, where his work is displayed. The artist talk is sponsored by University Libraries.
Hakoyama is an artist and educator from Grand Rapids where he is the assistant professor of Studio Arts at Kendall College of Art and Design of Ferris State University.
He said his Japanese cultural background and upbringing feed into the themes of his work.
“I’ll be talking about some stylistic influences and some artists that I look up to,” he said. “I’ll also be talking about my process and some things I keep in mind as I work out sketches and compositions.”
He said a lot of his work, specifically the pieces in the Baber Room Gallery, are reflections on some of the social issues that we all experience such as identity, education and the impact of technology through a magical realism approach on oil canvas.
“(Highlighting) the human experience we all have … but looking at them through a whimsical, magical lens,” Hakoyama said.
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Denise Fanning is the art coordinator in the Park Library and gallery director of the Baber Room Gallery.
Fanning came across Hakoyama through recommendations and reached out to him about presenting his artwork.
Fanning said the artist will often talk about the trajectory of their career, their history as an artist and what led them to where they are now.
Fanning said she hopes to offer a diverse body of voices to the students.
“I hope each student can find something within each artist to connect with or feel inspired by,” she said. “I want to give the opportunity for students to see a diverse approach to making work through different processes, practices and mediums.”
Hakoyama's work will be on display in the Baber Room Gallery now through Nov. 7.
The artist talk is a free event that is open to the public. For more information, visit the link here or you can contact Denise Fanning through email at fanni1dw@cmich.edu or by calling 989-774-1100.
