Note: For the original Japanese version of this article, please visit note.com.
（日本語版はnote.comでお読みいただけます。）
Snow Wave (Seppa)
2008-2013
scratch/hatching
acrylic gouache on canvas
162X194cm
Private Collection
This article is based on the broadcast from the YouTube channel “Rios Art.”
Hello, everyone. Today, I’d like to share something I rarely get to talk about in detail—the story behind my artwork titled “Seppa (Snow Wave).”
It’s a bit of a long story, but I hope you enjoy reading it through to the end.
Visiting the Exhibition with Trepidation
To be completely honest, when I first went to see the exhibition in 2014 that triggered the creation of this work, I approached it with a bit of hesitation.
I had heard that the exhibition featured artists who painted in a hyper-realistic style. So before entering the gallery, I wondered, “What kind of world will I encounter here? Will I even be able to relate to it?”
However, as I walked through the exhibition, I felt a gentle warmth slowly taking over. It wasn’t just about technical realism.
For instance, when one of the artists wanted to paint a portrait of an elderly local woman, he didn’t just snap a quick photo. He visited her repeatedly, talked with her, and waited patiently until they built a relationship of trust before asking to paint her. Even if he was turned down at first, he didn’t give up. He waited until the moment felt right, believing that the relationship deserved a painting truly worthy of it.
It wasn’t a dry, cold hyper-realism. As I spent time taking in the artworks, my heart filled with deep emotion.
“Seppa” — The Sound Came First
Many people ask me about the origin of the title “Seppa.”
Actually, the sound of the word “Seppa” came to me before its conceptual meaning.
This piece is a continuation of a series I had been working on for a long time. It all started back in 2010 during an event called “Bourgeois Bohemian.” Various artists gathered to present their work.
At first, I thought about displaying Giclée prints, but I felt that wouldn’t fully capture the essence. So, I decided to bring in a large Size 100 canvas that I was actively working on and turn my process into a live painting demonstration.
People often ask me, “Did you sell that painting at the event?” No, it didn’t sell back then. But because it didn’t sell, that canvas remained with me and embarked on a long journey of transformation.
At the time, I was living in Tokyo. But as I kept working on the painting, I gradually wanted to change its color tone. I wanted to paint something reminiscent of mist or atmosphere. With that vision in mind, I moved to the mountains. It took about a whole year to complete.
Try Viewing It from an Angle
When people view this artwork, I often suggest: “Try looking at it from the side or from a diagonal angle.” They often reply, “Oh, you’re right! It looks completely different!”
Why does this happen? It’s because of the technique: scratching and hatching.
By layering intricate lines over and over, like a complex jungle gym, the human eye perceives depth and dimensional light. It creates something entirely different from a simple flat layer of paint.
I didn’t learn this technique from an art school or a formal teacher. Without a traditional academic background or a specific school of thought to rely on, I experimented trial-and-error on my own for years, wondering, “Is this really art?”
Yet, I kept creating, hoping that somewhere out there, someone would resonate with what I was doing.
Then, I discovered that 130 years ago, there was someone who was thinking and creating in the exact same way.
Discovering My Artistic Roots
That artist was Miyagawa Kozan.
Interestingly, I had a subtle connection to him through my family. My father taught engineering at a university, but he had a deep appreciation for craftsmanship and ceramics.
One day, my father bought a piece of ceramic art for 200,000 yen. My parents often argued about budget, and my mother was furious, asking, “Why did you buy such an expensive thing?”
As a child, seeing my father so stressed about it, I gathered my small allowance, handed it to my father, and said, “Please use this to buy whatever you like.” Looking back, my father was a proud and dedicated man who truly loved art.
Miyagawa Kozan was a legendary ceramic artist known for his extremely detailed, three-dimensional relief porcelain. His works gained international acclaim at the Philadelphia Centennial Exposition when he was in his mid-30s, making his name famous worldwide for over 20 years.
However, his painstaking process required immense time and effort. As he grew older, Kozan shifted his style—moving away from intricate 3D carvings to smooth, flat, glaze-translucent ceramic paintings.
When I learned about his transition, it hit me like a lightning bolt.
My own work had also shifted—moving from dense scratching and hatching to flatter, more atmospheric expressions. Seeing Kozan go through the exact same creative evolution 130 years ago gave me goosebumps. My roots were right there.
We All Think Alike Across Time
People used to tell me: “Why do you insist on such painstaking, tedious detail? Isn’t there an easier way?”
Even when I tried other methods, people would eventually look at my past work and say, “Your earlier, detailed style was so much better after all!” (even though they had worried about it before!).
I believe Kozan faced similar criticisms and doubts in his time. But he pushed through to the very end.
That is the essence of true craftsmanship. Let the critics talk. When you push your craft to its absolute limit, even across a span of 130 years, you find that someone else walked the exact same path and shared the exact same thoughts.
What I received from Kozan wasn’t just artistic inspiration; it was courage.
Born from a sound, reaching towards the light, “Seppa” connected me across time to an artist from 180 years ago in 2014. Art truly lives far longer than its creator.
Thank you very much for reading to the end.
Links & Notes
- YouTube Channel: If you’d like to listen to the audio version of this story, please check out our channel, “Rios Art.”
- Follow: If you enjoyed this article, please consider following this page!
About the Author: Yuko Kawada
Contemporary Artist & Painter
Graduate of Tokyo University of the Arts. After encountering contemporary art during her studies in Germany and Brussels, she established her atelier in Kanagawa in 1996 and continues her creative journey exploring light, depth, and texture.
・Japanese Version: Read the original article on note.com.
・YouTube Channel: Listen to the audio version on Rios Art.