Tadanobu Asano x TADANOBU ASANO EXHIBITION “FREAK” | "This is my world, so I don't have to be recognized by anyone," says a portrait of an artist.

I dispelled my doubts about painting
To draw with a ballpoint pen

Mr. Asano has held three solo exhibitions: "error" (1999), "BUNCH" (2003), and "TADANOBU ASANO 3634" (2018-2019). Last time, it became a hot topic as the first solo exhibition in 15 years, but since then it has only been two years since this exhibition. I wonder if Mr. Asano is turning on the "mode" that draws pictures now. "I've been drawing sometime after 'BUNCH', but it's no longer like every day as before. There may have been something wrong with drawing. However, when there was a filming in China in 2013, when I was filmed in China, the history of death in a foreign country, I was stressed out. When I tried drawing with a ballpoint pen on the back of the schedule, it was a great response. "Oh, this is it. You just need to continue drawing on nothing paper with a ballpoint pen.' That's why I started drawing every day."

Unexpected feel gained through the challenge of color painting

However, there is a significant difference from the previous exhibition. That's the color. While the last time focused on black and white paintings, the works exhibited as new works in this exhibition are colorful. "After the end of the previous solo exhibition, I was worried about the color whether it was a reaction. So when I tried it in earnest, there was a feeling that I had never seen before. While finding my own solution while referring to YouTube for places where it doesn't work, I was able to discover "Oh, this is it?" That's not the time of BUNCH, which I just drew as much as I like." It seems that the background that I was able to challenge colors that took more time and time than ball pen drawings was the corona disaster from time to time. "In fact, last year I was thinking about taking a break from the actor's work. I've been working on a nonstop basis until then. Then the COVID-19 pandemic started, and as a result, I was able to spend as much time as I wanted to draw pictures and dig trees."

Animated works on an extension of the actor's work

"It's really stressful to play the role as an actor. Drawing a picture is also a means of dispersing it," says Asano, but the video work on display this time seems to be an extension of the actor. "Young people often come to me, 'I want to be an actor,' but 'So what are you doing?' When asked, there are many people who say, "I'm not doing anything." But if it's like baseball, it's like a professional baseball player saying, "I don't do anything but want to be a baseball player." You should at least do it by yourself every day. In the same way, even an actor can do it alone. Especially now, if you shoot yourself with a smartphone, you can even make a movie. However, when I think about it, I think I've never taken it myself. When I was in London for filming "Mighty So/Dark World", it was interesting to make a live-action work that worked alone from actors to shooting. So if you're making a lot of things, you can tell me that there is an app that allows you to create animations by moving pictures drawn on iPad. This time, the animation made with it is also on display. It's hard because I have to draw one by one, but it's fun."

Eye-catching in the goods
The secret story of the birth of a signature ball

For some paintings, silk screens with edition numbers are on sale. Why was it silk screen, not the original picture? "A lot of people ask you to sell it, but I can't sell it because the work feels like a part of myself. That's why I'm glad that you made such a wonderful silk screen." There are plenty of other goods, but one of the most eye-catching is autographed balls. It is said that the inventor was Mr. Asano himself. "A little while ago my local friend got married. I was so busy that I couldn't attend the wedding, but when I happened to meet another friend I attended at a later date, I said, "Thank you for signing balls." When I didn't understand the meaning and asked in detail, I heard that the ball with my signature was hit with a prize for the bingo tournament. So when I checked with the married person, I said, "Oh, I gave it a prize without permission" (laughs). But it's an interesting idea, so I decided to make it into goods this time. I've never played baseball (laughs)."

From the work to the exhibition space
The idea of "Mottainai"

When I listen to my favorite works among the many works, Mr. Asano says, "Everything has a lot of thoughts, but I would like you to see big works." "I have some large cat works, but some of them took pictures at a cat cafe in Shibuya (laughs). I don't keep it, but it's interesting as a motif because of its movement." In addition to cats, the motif that often appears in Mr. Asano's work is flowers. One of the walls of the exhibition hall this time is covered with wallpaper printed with dozens of different flower paintings. Can this be regarded as a kind of series? "Professionals have a concept determined by a solo exhibition. "This time it's only the sea." I want to do that, so I draw lots of flowers and so on. But because it's shy, it's quick to draw, and I'll get tired of it soon. However, it is wasteful that the paint on the pallet remains, so if I drew more and more, it only increased naturally (laughs)." Even if you decide to draw on the back of an envelope or try to use up the paint left in the pallet, Asano can add the word "because it is wasteful." The idea is close to the concept of "sustainable" recommended by Shibuya PARCO, but if you ask, it seems that it appears in the space design of this exhibition. "The wall was just peeled off the wallpaper, and most of the fixtures were used in previous exhibitions. I don't think I need anything extra. You can put it more and more on the ground."

Postcard set gift signed by Tadanobu Asano

During the period from April 19 (Mon) to May 3 (Mon./holiday), 2021, gifts will be held on Shibuya PARCO Official Instagram.

<How to apply>
① Follow the official Instagram account "@parco_shibuya_official"
② @parco_shibuya_official's postcard set signed by Tadanobu Asano, who was uploaded on April 19, "Like"
③"Like!" Please comment in the comment section of the post you submitted.
We will present it to 3 people by lot from all of you who participated.
We will contact you via DM, so please follow Shibuya PARCO Official Instagram @parco_shibuya_official (@parco_shibuya_official).

<Announcement of winning>
After a rigorous selection process, around mid-May 2021, only the winners will be notified via Instagram direct message, and the prize will be sent out and replaced by winning. In addition, prizes are scheduled to be shipped in late May 2021. Please note that it may change depending on various circumstances.