Pop artist HIROTTON's solo art show "The Original Works" will be held at "ART UP" within the Men's Creators section on the 2nd floor of Isetan Shinjuku Store, Men's Building starting September 18th (Wednesday).

His unique works, which express street-style pop motifs such as punk rock and skateboarding through his own filter based on DIY, are attracting attention both domestically and internationally. He currently designs for Heroin Skateboards, TOY MACHINE, and FOUNDATION.

This time, we asked him about a wide range of topics, including his pride as an artist and his thoughts on this exhibition.

Event Information

HIROTTON Solo Artshow
"The Original Works"

□September 18th (Wednesday) - October 1st (Tuesday)
□ Isetan Shinjuku Store, Men's Building 2nd Floor = Men's Creators

Click here for details ▶

I learned the sensitivity necessary for art from skating in Triangle Park.

HIROTTON, who attended an art university in Osaka, surprisingly chose not painting or drawing as his major during his student days, but rather three-dimensional sculpture, creating objects and other items out of metal.

"I started drawing around 2010, after I had been living in London for a while since 2008. At the time, I vaguely wanted to do something creative, and three-dimensional art was one of the options, but there weren't any welding facilities nearby. So when I thought about what I could do close to home, I thought I could draw. I hadn't been drawing frequently before, but in London I was sharing a house with about eight people, and one of my friends was a skater who drew. I had also been skateboarding for a long time, and skate culture and design were familiar art to me, so I didn't feel much discomfort about drawing or engaging in art activities."


And the origin of his current artwork lies in a park in Osaka commonly known as "Triangle Park" (officially called Mitsu Park).

"When I was a student, I often skated with my friends at Triangle Park, and some of them were skaters from overseas. I couldn't speak English back then, so I wanted to communicate with them more, and that strengthened my desire to go abroad. At first, I thought I would go to a language school or something and return to Japan in a year, but then I started drawing, and it gradually became fun. Of course, I couldn't draw at all at first. But I kept drawing every day, and eventually I got better. For example, even with just a skull, if you draw it from various angles while looking at a model, you gradually start to understand the shape. As I continued doing that, I gradually got more opportunities to exhibit my work, and I started to be able to design CDs and things like that. Even now, I draw almost every day. The time it takes varies greatly depending on the piece, but sometimes a small artwork can be finished in a few tens of minutes, while a large one can take several days."


The basis for the paintings and designs he creates is the pop art of the '70s and '80s, often referred to as old-school skate or skate punk. HIROTTON, born in '86, shouldn't have experienced that era firsthand, but...

"You're absolutely right. I've always loved the culture and fashion of the 80s and earlier, and I also liked hardcore punk music, so it felt like I got into it very naturally. Also, back then, skateboard decks were still being experimented with, so there were a lot of unique shapes, quirky designs, and individual pieces that were really interesting. The patterns were printed directly onto the deck using silkscreen, so the way the colors come out is completely different from current products. I guess there are a lot of people in Osaka who like that kind of culture, because there were a lot of skaters like that in Triangle Park back then."


He continues, saying that within himself, the essence of old-school skateboarding is something very natural and familiar, even without consciously thinking about it.

"I don't try to force that aspect to be the centerpiece of my work, but it's probably something that has influenced me without me even realizing it, so it just comes out naturally. That's why there isn't one particular work that strongly reflects that essence."


And apparently, there's something he always keeps in mind when creating his works.

"I do a lot of work, both big and small, like creating pieces for my own solo exhibitions or painting illustrations for brands. But with every single job, I make sure to finish it with a strong core and without wavering. I've recently come to realize that this is something that naturally happens if you just keep pursuing and doing only what you want to do."

NEXT> I want to broaden my own horizons in order to spread skate art.