In a caricatural way Teiji Hayama wants to express how social media is fueling the growing obsession with fame. Through art he exposes this big issue of modern society.
TEIJI TELL US SOMETHING ABOUT YOUR IDEA, CONCEPT OF ART? WHEN YOU REALISE YOUR WORKS DO YOU FOLLOW ANY PARTICULAR PHILOSOPHY?
No particular philosophy. I try to express how, dependent on social media for a sense of self, identity and existence, many individuals risk becoming lost.
WHAT DO YOUR OIL PAINTING REPRESENT? WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE TO TRANSMIT TO YOUR AUDIENCE?
Portaits of Marilyn Monroe blended with other iconic celebrities/superheroes/cartoons. We live in a world where technology saturates human beings to the point that many people are pulled in so many directions so the individual is getting lost. Marylin Monroe represents «The Mother» of all time, one of the most recognizable and iconic celebrity.
By blending other iconic/popular characters with her, I wanted to achieve some kind of caricatural superhero like personnage. With these portraits I want to express how images on social media are becoming more and more filtered, digitally manipulated, flawless. I try to depict this trend, so with this in mind, my work has to look as if it was digitally manipulated – but there is only oil in it.
WHY DO THE SUBJECTS OF YOUR PAINTINGS HAVE SAD OR BORED EXPRESSIONS?
The clown-like downward lip and tired eyes relate to the manipulation and hypocrisy on social media. They are used in a metaphorical and caricatural way to express how social media is fueling the growing obsession with fame, which is the driving force for some so-called “wannabe celebrities”. I wanted to express social media weariness by exaggerating some facial and body features I believe there’s an exhaustion that emerges from the attempt to maintain an ideal digital identity...which is often sustained by some people at any cost...
TELL US SOMETHING ABOUT YOUR EXHIBITION FAME, WHAT IS IT ABOUT?
For my first solo show at Unit, «Fame» was the main theme. This time, the show «I link therefore I am» my character’s obsession with recognition and notoriety has grown even bigger and evolved in a certain «no return» path.
IN THE PAINTING CALLED “SPYDUCK” WHY DID YOU CHOOSE TO MIX TOGETHER SPIDER-MAN AND DONALD DUCK?
In creating hybrid caricatures, like Spyduck, I tried to visualise the condition of being simultaneously drawn in multiple and conflicting directions many often encounter on social media.
WHEN YOU REALISE YOUR WORKS DO YOU TAKE INSPIRATION FROM SOMETHING IN PARTICULAR?
I always find inspiration coming from my childhood’s memory, from celebrities to superheroes and cartoons.
IN YOUR OPINION WHAT DOES DARE MEAN IN ART?
Someone who can express without boundaries.
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Images provided by Teiji Hayama
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