Artist Interview -Nigamushi- vol.3

#Anoko #Kyoto #Nigamushi #Tokyo #TOKYOURBANART 2021.06.22

In the third part of the interview with Nigamushi, he mainly talked about his beloved hip-hop. From episodes that influenced him when he was in junior high and high school, to episodes about artists he is close to, and finally, and about his future plans. Here you go!

NIGAMUSHI SOLO EXHIBITION

– あの子 –

Venue : y.gion

From 4 June (Fri) ~ 27 June (Sun) 2021.

OPEN 14:00 ~ 22:00 CLOSE

(Closed Gallery Day : Mondays and Tuesdays )

苦虫ツヨシ / Nigamushi

Painter, Art Director Having solo exhibitions or curating his own events not only in Japan but overseas,He is working in Visual Arts in multiple fields such as Character Design, Logo Design,Package Design, and creating his own original goods.

ーIn the last article, you said that you got deeply into hip-hop when you were a teenager. I’d like to hear about any other artists that you were into.

First, I got into Schadaraparr. I was living in Tochigi at the time, one of my classmates is a mature guy, and the reason is that his older brother has moved to Tokyo, and the information comes to my classmate who is his younger brother. So that’s how we get information about the name of 2PAC and so on.
“Hey, you ever heard of 2PAC? This guy got shot and was immediately arrested for the other case and went to trial!” I heard the story like this, then I started listening to Western music as well even I didn’t know anything about the West or the East.
That’s how I became a B-BOY in junior and senior high school.

ーThat’s way too crazy to know about 2PAC! But perhaps it is a kind of star quality in music that makes people excited with such dangerous charm.
By the way, what is it that attracts you so strongly to hip-hop?

I also love professional wrestling! In the case of pro-wrestling, there’s “I have my style, and there’s my opponent. Show me your style! How’s my style?” There’s disrespect, but there’s also respect. That kind of spirit is common to both hip-hop and professional wrestling, isn’t it? Simply put, music and black culture are cool! That’s what I’m thinking.

ーIt’s true that pro-wrestling and hip-hop have a common context. In fact, there are many people around me who say that they like both pro-wrestling and hip-hop, and who advocate the theory that they have a lot of culture in common.
I heard that Chinza DOPENESS was performing at the reception.
Do you have any actual interaction with the hip-hop scene?

I’m good friends with some of the hip-hop people who are still working, and some of them used to go to shows, but most of the connections were made through mutual acquaintances, not by stepping forward. Some of them even got jobs through it. But I like it, so I guess that’s how it happens.

At the reception party for this “Anoko”. Chinza DOPENESS plays DJ.

ーWhat kind of encounter did you have with Chinza DOPENESS?

I first met Chin-kun (means Chinza DOPENESS) through another friend who had met him earlier and we drank at Koenji through him. He was recording a song for DJ FUMIYA, and me, my friend, Chin-kun, and DJ FUMIYA had a drink together. We’re the kind of people who go out for a drink every now and then…well…we’re drinking buddies, I guess lol
It’s not so much a work relationship, but more like drawing an illustration and sending it off. It’s easy to draw a picture of him, isn’t it? lol

ーThis is an episode that can only happen if you are friends with each other lol

Suddenly, I wondered if Chin-kun had any business cards, so I thought I’d just make one for him without permission.
Actually, when I started handing out stickers instead of business cards, it really spread. It’s true that if a painter gives you a business card with only letters, you probably don’t want it either.
Nowadays, you don’t even need to have an address or phone number to make contact. I guess I’ve been completely without a business card for the past three years too.
I don’t need business cards for client work either, because I have a director between me and the big, hardened companies that seem to need them.
But work for Brutus and Magazine House also requires a sticker! lol
So, based on that personal experience, I decided to make some stickers for Chin-kun, too!
I also made a key chain that had a QR code on the back that you could read to listen to the mix.

ーIt’s a really cool item! Where can we get one of these?

Last year, he came back to MC Battle, and when I was invited to the event, he said, “I’ve included you as a staff member!” He gave me some key rings and made me sell them! lol
The other performers are doing well, but Chin-kun has never done anything like that at all…and he doesn’t have any goods.
But when I thought about it, I realized that if Chinza DOPENESS were to sell CDs or something like that, the people who came might be disappointed.
So we talked about making it interesting anyway! Then he said, “I only have 20 key chains (because I only made them as a trial), and it’s no use selling them normally, so let’s make them into fortunes!” So I drew “Atari(hit)” on one of the disposable chopsticks and let him hold it in his hand. If it was a hit, he gave the key chain, if not, he gave the sticker… lol
But I was really happy to be able to do that.

ーI don’t know Chinza DOPENESS directly, but I felt that it was a very unique episode for him, or for the combination of the two of you…. Are there any other people you interact with?

The organizer of TRAFFIC is a good friend of (Hip-hop musician) LIBRO, and I’ve known him since through there. Recently, we have been in touch with each other occasionally, and we may have one project moving in the near future.
I was able to get to know POCHOMUKIN through Libro-kun, and I was happy to work on the album jacket for Gaki Ranger (the unit to which POCHOMUKIN belongs), who I’ve known since I was a teenager. I didn’t make the approach, but it was like we went around in circles and connected.

ーIsn’t it quite emotional to be able to work with a hip-hop artist that you’ve loved and been influenced by since you were a teenager?

I think that if you have hope, that’s how it goes.
Also, Bose from Schadaraparr bought an aloha shirt that I made. There’s a hamburger shop in Kamakura called good mellows, and when I did a pop-up project for aloha shirts there, he came and bought one.
By the way, he’s wearing it in Sucha and Nebayan’s PV “Nebayan to Suchayan“, so please watch it!

Aloha shirt designed by Nigamushi

ーWhat do you think are the origins of such wonderful encounters?

I’m not an indoor person, so I met a lot of people at bars and the like, and I think the people I became friends with were a big part of my inspiration. It’s not that I was aggressive, it’s just that I’ve met a lot of people naturally, but I think a big part of it was that I wanted to meet them. There’s something about that, isn’t there? “I want to meet you! I wanted to meet you… and I did!” There are stories like that.
But, well… it’s just a coincidence lol

ーWhat would you like to say about your future work and outlook?

I’ve done work in Portland and Mexico, but I haven’t done much overseas, so I’d like to try my hand in Paris and other countries I’ve never been to. I would also like to work on three-dimensional works.
I have a noodle shop in Mexico that I’ve been involved with, so when my children are old enough to go abroad, I’d be happy to live in Mexico with my family for about three months and create works.
I’d like to get out of my nest and go on a “painting trip”.
I also want to go to Taiwan. I was actually talking about having a solo exhibition in Taiwan but it was cancelled due to Corona. But I think if I met someone from Africa, I would say, “I want to go to Africa!” lol

So this was the final part of the interview with Nigamushi.
Jump, 90’s anime, Philippe Starck, Katsushika Hokusai, Tarantino, hip-hop… This is what happens when you mix your experiences from your school days to your working days…! That’s how it turned out. I felt as if I had come into contact with a mysterious truth, and another strong thought was that I can’t wait to see the works of Nigamushi, who absorbed the nutrients of Paris and Mexico after quickly settling down in Corona…!
His solo exhibition “Anoko” is currently being held in Kyoto! (See the information here but only Japanese).
I’m going to take the Shinkansen with two conflicting thoughts in my mind: “I wonder if the transportation from Tokyo to Kyoto could be covered by the expenses for the interview…” and “I want to see the exhibition in person with my own money!”

By the way, I was curious about the power word “Mexican noodle shop” at the end, so I asked for and received pictures. I’d love to go there!