Conversation with Kazumasa Teshigawara (qubibi)
October 5th, 2012 | By Yanda
Swimmer, 2009
Today we speak to Kazumasa Teshigawara, a designer and artist from Tokyo, Japan.
Yanda: Tell me something about you?
Kazumasa Teshigawara: My name is Kazumasa Teshigawara. I work under the label “qubibi”.
What do you do first when you get up in the morning?
I say “hi” to my son.
What daily routines you cannot do without?
To make some free time to spend outside, like taking a walk. But there are days when I can’t.
How would you describe your life in one sentence?
“Unsure.”
Has it been fulfilling so far?
No. But I don’t feel unfulfilled either.
Do you start it (QUBIBI) alone? What does it mean?
Yes. In Japanese it is 首美 or “beautiful neck.” Translated into alphabets it would be written as “kubibi,” but I chose to use “q” instead of “k” since the letter looks like it is comprised of a head and a neck. “q” also looks better typographically.
Where have you worked before starting QUBIBI?
I worked as a web designer.
How would you define your work?
To create something related to screen media.
What has been your proudest work?
The “hello world” project.
Tell me more about it (your hello world project) and swimmer?
hello world
The theme of this work is the “border” between various things. It starts with a pothole – the relationship between the flesh and a hole. What is the element that lets us recognize a hole as a “hole”? What if we took that element and stretched it to infinity? This concept isn’t limited to physical “space”; we can recognize borders between many things including time, intention, life and death. By changing the scope of vision, these borders become less clear, turning into a fuzzy gradation and swallowing each other.
“hello world” is an ongoing project, and I’ve made many works that are related to this project. All of them are programs that generate animations in realtime. The programs are continuously playing with the “borders” which are created by tweaking the contrasts. The final visuals appear to have an underlying rule, and yet it also looks chaotic at the same time. To be honest, I can’t completely control them. Nobody knows how they will turn out.
Swimmer, http://scr.sc/products/swimmer/
This work takes the concept of “sleep” for both people and for computers. FYI, you can find so many people sleeping in public here in Japan.
Day Dream. 2011
Hello World. Journey Through Inner Self. 2012
Qubibi. 2011
Hello World. Lizardman. 2012
Do you believe your work can part to play in this world?
Yes, of course. I also think there is a better chance of making good work if you regard yourself as playing an important role, however small or insignificant it might seem.
Your approaches doesn’t seems to be dealing with a lot of layout or trends but compasses more visuals, vintage, crafts and new digital media. How so?
I do it unconsciously. It’s only that I have a hard time staying in one place, as I tend to get bored quite easily.
What’s your definition of happiness?
To have more to understand or figure out, given that I’ve already figured out some things. Or, my son, and being able to see him from the back.
What makes you guilty?
I can think of many examples, but the first incident where I really felt guilty was in a dream I had as a boy. In the dream I bit into a Vampire until I killed him. It was so vivid, I could taste the blood… and for some reason I felt so bad and guilty, even though I’d just killed an evil character. Other than that, I also feel guilty when I couldn’t meet the expectations with my work, especially after having boasted about it.
How do you set your benchmarks?
By writing a list of meaningless stuff into the text tool.
How do you keep educating yourself?
I haven’t really thought about this. Maybe by trying to stop myself from doing foolish things.
Any heroes? What do you admire about them?
Fellini and Pasolini. No specific reason.
Can taste be taught or nurtured?
I think taste, either good or bad, is established through one’s environment. That environment, you can control.
What about hunger?
Even if taught, I think I’d forget about it the next day…
Today’s Smile. 2012
Lastly, what websites do you surf?
Tumblr.
View more of Quibibi’s works at http://qubibi.org/.