“A place where the firebird lives” 2024, 227.3 × 181.8 cm, Acrylic on canvas

This interview was initially published by VISIONAIRE CHINA. Immerse yourself in the enchanting creative universe of Miwa Komatsu through this insightful interview.

ABOUT EXHIBITION

Japanese artist Miwa Komatsu's first solo exhibition in Beijing, Sense of Sacredness, opened at Whitestone Gallery Beijing on October 26th, showcasing over 20 new works. The exhibition will run until December 14th. Komatsu herself attended the opening event, engaging in a dialogue to invite visitors into her spiritual forest.

“The mysterious sense of many planets” 2024, 227.3 × 227.3 cm, Acrylic on canvas

“Twin guardian dogs” 2024, 116.7 × 91.0 cm, Acrylic on canvas

Miwa Komatsu has never shied away from acknowledging the significance of her hometown and childhood in shaping her artistic creations. Her spiritual homeland may well be deeply rooted in her actual birthplace. In the 1980s, while Japan was entering the peak of its bubble economy and the prosperity of metropolitan areas like Tokyo and Osaka was widely recognized, Nagano Prefecture—Komatsu's hometown—seemed like a pristine land momentarily untouched by the waves of industrialization and modernization sweeping East Asia.

Nagano Prefecture remains one of Japan’s few agricultural regions to this day, surrounded by mountains, lush vegetation, and flowing rivers. The Hida, Kiso, and Akaishi mountain ranges stretch from west to east, forming the rugged terrain of this inland prefecture and earning it the title "the Roof of Japan." With a forest coverage rate of 79%, the Akasawa Forest in the Kiso Valley still preserves trees planted in the early Edo period, including groves of cypress over 300 years old. Komatsu grew up in the Hanishina District, an area situated along the banks of Japan’s longest river, the Shinano River (known locally as the Chikuma River).

Perhaps it was only in such an environment that Miwa Komatsu and the story of “Yamainu-sama” (Mountain Dog) for which she is well-known, could come into being. The dialogue between nature and its spirits is a recurring theme in many of Komatsu's works, and “Yamainu-sama” may have been the very first of these spirits. In her childhood—though she no longer remembers exactly how old she was—amid the mountains, fields, and forests, spirits would appear faintly. They guided her home when she got lost after dark and ultimately led her onto the path of artistic creation.
What surprises us is that “Yamainu-sama” is not merely a background story confined to childhood memories. Komatsu tells us that even when she moved far from nature to Tokyo to live and study, the spirits of her hometown never left her. To this day, in her studio back home, she continues to converse with Yamainu-sama and other spirits, like childhood friends whom she never forgot. “Sometimes, they even come to visit me at my house,” she says.

“Leap of joy” 2024, 182.0 × 72.7 cm, Acrylic on canvas

Miwa Komatsu

What is even more remarkable is that these experiences rooted in personal memories have been sublimated through her artistic journey into a near-universal methodology for dialogue with nature and the world. “When I enter nature, I engage in dialogue with it, expressing my intent to enter this environment in some way. I think this spiritual aspect transcends borders, race, or any similar boundaries.”

When we brought up the nickname "spirited away girl" given to her by Taiwanese media, Komatsu laughed and said she is no longer a “girl.” But we can still see, through her works, the essence of a girl wandering through the forests of Nagano finding her way home.

“I can feel these presences when I connect with nature, as if they are guiding me home. And humans always need to find their way home, don’t they?”

Speaking with Miwa Komatsu in 2024 is fascinating. In an era of rapid advancements in generative AI, humanity has essentially created its own “gods” through integrated circuits and large language models. Tools like ChatGPT on smartphones appear omniscient and omnipotent. At such a moment, revisiting premodern spirits may seem outdated. We were curious about how this "spirited away girl" views modern technology and the "gods" of this new era—put differently, if Miwa Komatsu were born in 2004 instead of 1984, would she still have gotten lost in the forests of Nagano?

What is surprising is that, unlike many artists who emphasize nature, Komatsu does not resist the modern world. “While some might feel that contemporary technology undermines spirituality, it actually depends on where we focus our attention,” she said. She believes that even the most intricate technological tools hold spiritual energy and potential. “Using iPads, smartphones, computers, or other devices gives us opportunities to learn how to connect with more sacred things.”

“Dancing like the wind” 2024, 130.3 × 97.0 cm, Acrylic on canvas

This reminds us of Neil Gaiman's novel "American Gods", where televisions, cars, and the Internet replaced churches, temples, and shrines as dominant forces in people’s lives, giving rise to new gods. However, in Komatsu's world, there is no conflict between new gods and old gods, nor is there a binary opposition between "technology" and "nature." Regardless of changes in technology and media, the world’s spirituality has always been there, waiting for those with an open heart to discover and engage with it.

Her acceptance of all forms of spirituality allows her to respect the different beliefs people hold, whether they concern gods, heaven, or precious individuals. Her childhood visits to traditional Japanese shrines and temples, her decade-long participation in Jewish study groups, her solitary travels to Hindu temples in India, and her explorations of religious and secular historical sites in China reflect a simple intellectual and aesthetic curiosity. These experiences have unintentionally led her to encounter various religious architecture and myths.

It is worth noting that the "spirits" Komatsu repeatedly mentions are not deities in a religious sense but rather a form of natural energy inherent in the world—a sacred presence close to humanity, akin to a pantheistic view. Komatsu also frequently emphasizes the importance of meditation in her life, although she notes that she has never approached meditation as a religious activity. Perhaps this reflects the most primitive and sincere way ancient humans communicated with nature before institutional religions and deities emerged.

Toward the end of the interview, Komatsu smiled and reminded everyone to view her works in person at art galleries: “If people were truly satisfied with only viewing paintings on their phones, no one would visit galleries. However, after seeing images on screens, people still feel the urge to go to museums and galleries to experience the real energy emanating from the works.”

Top 《Blue Komainu "Ah"》 2024, 91.0 × 91.0 cm, Acrylic on canvas Bottom 《Red Komainu "Un"》 2024, 91.0 × 91.0 cm, Acrylic on canvas

“I think that as humans immerse themselves in modern society, they inevitably yearn, to some extent, for a return to primitive nature.”

“A Scroll of Knowledge Like Magic” 2024, 194.0 × 97.0 cm, Acrylic on canvas

Miwa Komatsu holds a near-internationalist perspective on culture. Japan, undoubtedly her cultural identity, is inevitably a label she is recognized for in the art market. However, it is not the sole identity she wishes to promote. Komatsu does not shy away from acknowledging the multi-origin nature of Japanese culture. Even the “Komainu” (guardian lion-dog statues), a recurring motif in her works, are not unique to Japanese culture. Their origins are widely debated—from cherubim in the Bible to more ancient cultural elements from India, China, Korea, or Southeast Asia, brought to Japan over time. “Japan is at the easternmost end of Asia; many cultures and objects eventually gather in this country at the edge of the world.”

We were curious about what kind of deities Komatsu might find in Beijing, given her perspective.

On one hand, Beijing and Nagano Prefecture might represent two extremes of Asian cities. Since its establishment as Zhongdu by Emperor Wanyan Liang in 1153, Beijing has been China’s political center. Over the past 800 years, power has meticulously planned every brick, tree, and blade of grass in the city. Especially in the past two decades, countless large tech companies have emerged in Beijing, making this ancient city more “technological” or “de-naturalized.” In a sense, Beijing could be considered the most “artificial” city in East Asia, almost the opposite of Nagano Prefecture's nature-surrounded, spiritual towns. In such a place, can spirits and deities from nature still be found?

“Creation in a deep and quiet state” 2024, 145.5 × 89.4 cm, Acrylic on canvas

On the other hand, Beijing, as a contemporary cultural center in China, also bears a millennia of history of fusion and evolution within the Confucian cultural sphere of East Asia. If deities can truly be found here, how might they differ from those in Tokyo or Kyoto?

Indeed, she found them. In her works created for her first solo exhibition in Beijing, she included many mythical creatures and elements she had rarely addressed before. She repeatedly mentioned the dragon, a long-standing national symbol that is prevalent and strongly felt in Beijing, as well as lions and tigers—“feline” animals that are relatively rare in Japanese culture. These animals, imbued with different symbolic meanings in Chinese culture, were keenly observed by Komatsu and reinterpreted in her unique style within her paintings. In a way, her experience in Beijing seems to have enriched her perception of the mythical creatures she paints.

“Swimming while feeling the energy” 2024, 100.0 × 160.6 cm, Acrylic on canvas

From a historical perspective, Japan learned much from China via sea routes during the missions to the Tang and Sui dynasties. The spiritual and lifestyle elements learned during this period still resonate in modern Japanese society. Among these, dragons are deeply respected in Japanese culture, symbolizing spiritual connections that reflect historical lessons. Komatsu expressed gratitude for the opportunity to deepen her understanding of her own culture's mythical roots through her experience in Beijing.

The highly artificial side of Beijing did not hinder Komatsu’s dialogue with nature. “Indeed, because I was born in a more natural environment, I learned much from nature. In cities, the noise makes it harder to enter a deep spiritual state, but it’s not impossible,” she said. Recalling meditation techniques she learned in Thailand, she noted, “Ignoring all the noise around you and focusing on a single point, observing things from multiple perspectives.” Perhaps this is the secret to how Komatsu continues her dialogue with nature in China’s most complex urban setting.

“Household Guardian Cat Deities” 2024, 27.0 × 35.0 cm, Acrylic on canvas

“No matter the nationality or language, we can all feel the power of working toward the same sacred goal to achieve harmony.”

Handwritten by Miwa Komatsu

Interview and text : Zane Yuan
Editor: Lonnie
Art Design: Vianna
Images courtesy of the artist and Whitestone Gallery