Traditional Techniques Meet Modern Art: Interview with Toshiyuki Enoki

Transmission 078: Interview with Toshiyuki Enoki

Toshiyuki Enoki is a Japanese contemporary artist known for his work in traditional lacquer painting, as well as in oil, acrylic, metal leaf, and ink on canvas. He studied Arts and Design at the Tokyo National University of Fine Arts and Music under the guidance of Masataka Oyabu, a notable modern and contemporary painter. Enoki’s work encompasses both Western and traditional Japanese subjects, reflecting his diverse training. His paintings explore themes of myth and fantasy, rendered in a visually distinct style that merges various themes and techniques. Enoki’s unique artistic approach combines elements of the new and the old, myth with reality, and the ancient with the modern. His work often features a distinctive portrayal of the natural world, primarily using brushes to convey this ambiance.

Enoki has created several large-scale pieces that subtly and skillfully convey a metaphysical perspective based on cosmic awareness. Since 2008, he has participated in the KAN-HIKARI EXPO in Kyoto and has installed his artwork at international heritage sites, including Senyu Temple, Jochi Temple, and Nijo Castle. He has also held solo exhibitions across Japan and participated in the 21st Century Exhibition of Japanese Art from 2010 to 2012. In 2015, Enoki was invited to participate in the FU-KU Project at the Hamada City Sekisho Museum in Iwami.

Please read the interview with Toshiyuki Enoki in Japanese
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Lacquer painting is a significant part of your artistic repertoire. What drew you to this medium? Have you been fascinated since your childhood? What artists inspired you the most?

I began studying graphic design and painting after enrolling at the Tokyo University of the Arts (東京藝術大学). Through my research on pre-modern Japanese design, I realised that lacquerware with maki-e (蒔絵) is a unique form of Japanese graphic design. Authentic lacquerware is very expensive, so I did not encounter it in my daily life as a child. From an artistic perspective, I was captivated by its superior design quality. The mediaeval Japanese lacquer artist Hon’ami Kōetsu (本阿弥光悦) has left behind remarkable works.

He produces global art, incorporating elements from the Symbolists and integrating classic aspects from various cultures and periods, both ancient and modern. This approach makes his paintings highly sought after by both public and private collectors worldwide.

Mixing various art styles into one piece can be tricky. What rouses you to create your own style that blends a contemporary and aged look? Can you tell us how you mastered the techniques you use to achieve the antiquated look in your artwork?

I learned the fundamentals of art from excellent works of the past. I studied art history and observed numerous ancient and mediaeval artworks. Being a modern person, I can perceive the concept of weathering. Materials change texture as they age; this can be due to ageing or the material maturing and becoming more beautiful. Physical weathering is a natural phenomenon. It is not the result of deliberate work but rather the characteristics of the material working by chance. I try to incorporate natural phenomena into my work. I learned ageing techniques from film set design and antique restoration.

Can you share with us your artistic process, particularly how you integrate elements of traditional Japanese and Western painting? Your paintings often feature imaginative animals and figures from various mythologies. What draws you to these mythical creatures? How do you choose the myths and stories that you depict in your paintings?

Traditional Western and Eastern paintings use different materials and techniques, making them difficult to mix easily. Technically, I minimise the use of traditional materials and replace them with new materials and techniques. I explore the potential of acrylic paints and develop new techniques. Content-wise, I focus on similarities rather than differences. Looking back to ancient times, many commonalities can be found in myths and mythical creatures. For example, Western dragons and Eastern dragons can be imagined similarly to dinosaurs in modern terms. It is impossible to see them in reality, but one can build a reasoned imagination based on information. Imagining endlessly is fascinating and enjoyable.

Enoki’s paintings are strongly connected with his artistic story and background. His artworks are a cultural bridge that connect cultures and different periods of History of art.

What do you find most compelling about combining these different cultural narratives? Can you tell us the symbolism behind some of the recurring motifs in your paintings?

The human brain recognizes the world based on experience and learning, similar to constructing a simulated world in a computer. If so, just as a computer has a pre-installed OS, the human brain should have an innate common information processing program. Psychologist Carl Jung proposed the concept of the collective unconscious (アーキタイプ). This hypothesis suggests that regardless of the ancient, modern, or future, different cultures and races share the same story templates.

Traditional Japanese art often underlines a connection with nature. How does this philosophy influence your depiction of mythical creatures and fantastical narratives?

In ancient Japanese beliefs, natural objects and phenomena themselves were considered gods. Primitive beliefs worldwide were likely similar. Ancient people believed that myths were parallel worlds layered over reality. Modern people try to separate myths as fiction from reality. However, no matter how advanced modern science becomes, human intelligence remains fundamentally unchanged, and the collective unconscious remains unaltered. Humans dream during sleep, and even modern people cannot distinguish between reality and fiction in dreams. While civilizations come and go, the cycle of nature continues unchanged. There is a fear that modern civilization might alter nature. If nature were a god, that god would never forgive such changes. This warning is undoubtedly written in our unconscious mind.

His colour scheme creates an ethereal, meditative, and vintage mood while drawing the viewer’s attention to the intricacies of his textures. In addition, he applies gold leaf, which resembles artwork from the Middle Ages, in various places on his canvases

How has your art evolved over the years, particularly in terms of thematic focus and integrating traditional and modern elements? What challenges do you face in maintaining a unique artistic voice while drawing from such diverse sources?

By the late 19th century, paintings specialised in reproducing realistic visuals were overtaken by photographic technology. European artists, seeking new values, found a breakthrough in hybridising with the genes of Japanese art, leading to the trend of Japonism. Klimt’s paintings seen in Vienna seemed to depict Western figures within Japanese gold screens and lacquerware. Mucha’s paintings in Prague appeared to portray characters akin to manga or animation within Japanese ukiyo-e prints. There are still countless opportunities to combine different cultures. 

Did you create a particular piece that holds significant meaning to you?  If yes, can you share the personal experiences or anecdotes that have particularly influenced it?

The 1999 work “ATMOSPHERE” 100F encompasses my thoughts at the time. In the last year before I had internet access at home, I would consult a thick paper dictionary, the Kojien, whenever I wanted to know something. One entry had an atmospheric diagram. The large sphere of Earth has a multi-layered structure, and the atmosphere also surrounds Earth in layers. Everything is layered—up, down, left, right, big, small, past, and future, with the sphere spinning like a roulette wheel. Buddhism from India came to Japan via China 1500 years ago. At that time, Japan had ancient beliefs. The two religions did not exclude each other but integrated into one, called syncretism (神仏習合). The Heart Sutra, the shortest yet most profound Buddhist scripture, was interpreted in my painting based on the diagram found in Kojien.

Another small work, “Shinagawa Monkey” 4F, created in 2007, was painted to imagine the story of the Shinagawa Monkey in Haruki Murakami’s short story collection “Strange Tales from Tokyo” (東京奇譚集). I often drew monkeys, and I still do. The monkey in the story was inspired by Geoffroy’s spider monkey housed at Ueno Zoo in Tokyo. This South American monkey doesn’t live in Japan. Ueno Zoo and Tokyo University of the Arts are next to each other in Ueno Park. As a student, I often visited the zoo to observe and draw spider monkeys. I fantasised that a monkey from South America might have escaped the zoo, gone underground, learned human language, and become the Shinagawa Monkey.

Rich textural components and complicated patterns that appear to emerge from the textural surfaces like distilled dream elements slowly drifting into consciousness are found in most of his intimate and intriguing pieces.

How do you see your artwork contributing to the broader dialogue of contemporary art, especially in the context of cultural amalgamation? What do you hope viewers take away from experiencing your art?

Studying art history feels like evolution theory, reminiscent of human history. Selfish genes eliminate other genes to perpetuate themselves. Victorious nations deny the culture of defeated ones, overwriting it. Similarly, contemporary art styles have denied existing art, rendering it obsolete. In nature, hybridization with diverse genes is a survival strategy. Selfish genes have dominated and fossilised past art, but future contemporary art should move away from selfishness and embrace diversity and tolerance. Reviving fossilised art requires hybridization with contemporary genes. This issue extends beyond time to regional differences. Strong countries’ cultures may try to eliminate weaker ones. If they clash, the weaker one perishes, but if they merge, they coexist. Multiculturalism and post-colonialism reflect the era. Today, we can travel anywhere in a day and connect with the world in real-time online. We can freely access vast past data archives. Despite this, humans remain selfish and protective, building walls even in such a world. Ironically, AI might be more tolerant and less self-centred.

How do you see the future of traditional techniques like lacquer painting in contemporary art? How do you envision the traditional technique, especially in terms of integrating with new technologies?

I use genuine lacquer in some of my works. However, in most cases, while applying the techniques, I replace the materials with new ones, such as acrylic paints. The conditions required for materials differ depending on their use, be it tableware, furniture, or paintings. Traditional materials excel not only in durability but also in enhancing beauty over time, deepening their charm as they age.

Photos and images courtesy of Toshiyuki Enoki

Dominique Musorrafiti

Ciao! My name is Dominique. I’m Italian and I’m proud to be a mix. My father was an Italian chemical engineer and high school teacher, with Greek and Polish heritage. My mother is Haitian, she was high school language teacher, with Dominican, Spanish, French, Portuguese, African and Native American heritage. Being a mix makes me appreciate to want to understand different cultures and lifestyles. I grew up in Italy, lived few years in Haiti, travel around main European capitals, lived many years in China, in Spain and UK. Traveling makes me feel that we can learn something from every situation in every part of the world.