A Chemical Reaction Born from a Chance Encounter

The story began in November 2014, with a meeting at a solo exhibition held at the 'TORTOISE' gallery in LA. Yosuke Otsuka, who oversees sales and marketing for LMC in Asia, the Middle East, and Africa, was at the LA airport, a place he frequents.

There, he happened to see on Instagram that Ryosuke Yazaki, an artist he had been interested in for some time, was holding a solo exhibition in LA. Moreover, it was the opening day. Sensing a fateful connection, Otsuka immediately sent a message expressing his desire to visit the exhibition and meet Yazaki, and then headed straight to the gallery, achieving their first meeting with astonishing speed.

Yazaki's work, seen in the context of LA, deeply moved Otsuka's sensibilities, igniting an irrepressible urge to 'do something with him someday.' And the opportunity to realize that 'something' arrived with astonishing speed, almost inevitably and effortlessly.

For Spring/Summer 2015, LMC's theme is 'Art.' Otsuka believed that to embody the abstract concept of 'Art' through LMC's lens, the presence of sculptor Ryosuke Yazaki was indispensable. Yazaki recalls:

“In my youth, I was very fond of British fashion, so I started my career in London. I also hoped to achieve success overseas before returning to Japan. Back then, I often wore vintage jeans for pants, with the 501^®XX being my go-to. So, the Levi's^®brand holds a special place in my heart. This collaboration came about through Otsuka's personal invitation, and it's with LMC, so I was truly delighted... I gladly accepted.”

Yazaki's sculptures possess a presence like a giant tree deeply rooted in the earth, combined with the dynamism of a pianist's fingertips. Primarily using materials like terracotta and Japanese cypress (hinoki), he chose hinoki without hesitation for this project. He reinterpreted his debut work from 1994, 'Kodousurukatachi.'

Revisiting His Debut Work

“This is the piece that Otsuka liked the most. I had also brought it out from storage after several years for my solo exhibition and was confronting it anew. I remember feeling a growing excitement as the vibrant sensations from that time gradually returned.”

As a result of overlapping coincidences, he found himself confronting a new work based on his debut piece. Yazaki explains:



“'Kodousurukatachi' literally means 'beating form,' and it was a desperate struggle to give shape to a pulsating beat. It expresses the push and pull between myself and the hinoki wood. However, the struggle in 1994 when I created 'Kodousurukatachi' is entirely different from the one in 2015. Perhaps because I was so eager for this collaboration, I suppressed the 'Kodou' (beat) that threatened to burst out, containing it within a quiet expression. Therefore, I inverted the word 'Kodou' and pushed it in to create 'Urusuodok,' which became the artwork's title.”

The Kisso-hinoki wood used as the material was a treasured, aged timber passed down from his biological grandfather, Ryosuke Torao Yazaki, a renowned sculptor known for his reconstructed temple sculptures at Horyu-ji and his work for the Peace Kannon statue at the Japan World Exposition. "It was lucky to find such suitable and fitting material. I'm grateful to my grandfather," he says with a smile.

Using the mallet and chisels inherited from his grandfather, he spent about two weeks working with the wood. Through the push and pull with the 'spirit' residing in the hinoki, he succeeded in bringing forth its 'katachi' (form).


“But as I layered it onto the wood grain, it deepened over time. Its expression became very much like denim itself, which was a surprisingly fresh revelation.”

In my opinion, the form, which has a somewhat fleshy, almost animalistic roundness, evokes the hip line of jeans. This artwork, 'Urusuodok,' with its multifaceted expressions that are captivating from every angle, can rightly be called the very embodiment of 'Art' as envisioned by LMC.

“What is 'Art'? Perhaps it's something that has existed since birth... For me, it's the most familiar and simple means of expression, and you could even say it's synonymous with 'being alive.' Since childhood, I've loved giving shape to my imagination with clay, a gift from my grandfather, and what I'm doing now is no different (laughs).”

Outfit worn by Yazaki
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Levi's^®Made & Crafted™
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Levi's^®Double X
Tel. 03-6418-5501

Ryosuke Yazaki
Born in Tokyo in 1965. After graduating from the Department of Fine Arts, Sculpture Major at Nihon University College of Art, he completed his postgraduate studies in sculpture. His grandfather was the late Torao Yazaki, a leading figure in Buddhist wood carving who received the Minister of Education Award. He moved to the UK in 1993 and held his first solo exhibition in London. Major awards include the 'Glass House Award' in 2001, the 'Tokyo Metropolitan Assembly Chairman's Award' in 2003, the 'Art Future Grand Prize' in 2007, the 'Tateshina Highland Museum Award' in 2008, and the 'Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology Award' in 2010. Through exhibitions at galleries such as International Gallery BEAMS and Playmountain, he has gained increasing recognition both domestically and internationally, and within the fashion industry in recent years.

What Vision and Sensitivity Create

Shapes in indigo blue, straight lines, and dots are drawn with tempo and without hesitation onto a canvas stretched with pristine white fabric... The process, as if unconcerned by the presence of the interviewing staff, flows seamlessly, much like watching an artist's live painting at an event.

This is Japanese illustrator Sayori Wada (hereafter, Wada). Like sculptor Ryosuke Yazaki, she was identified by Yosuke Otsuka, the director of 'Levi's^®Made & Crafted™' (hereafter, LMC), as a fitting artist to express the theme of 'Art' for this season.

“I can draw anywhere, and I don't mind if people are around or if it's noisy, but music is absolutely essential. I just play it randomly on an iPhone app... I often listen to jazz.”

Without sketching beforehand, her brushstrokes flow with an unhesitating dynamism. It's quiet, yet dynamic and exciting. We were able to witness firsthand the real process of a 'masterpiece' coming into being.

“I already have the image in my mind, with the general composition set, so it's just a matter of transferring that to the canvas. I adjust the overall balance as I go, but I'm mostly painting purely by instinct.”

Wada says with a gentle smile.

“For the canvas this time, I used fabric I found myself at a textile store. I liked that the texture resembled denim. Since indigo is the theme, and I'm creating a work for LMC, I wanted to use something close to denim. And for the paint, I decided to use genuine indigo dye, keeping actual denim in mind.”



Wada completed the artwork in about an hour of intense work. She explained that after it dries, she will check the color balance and apply final touches. After finishing her work for the day, she elaborated on the piece:

Codes Hidden in the Details

“The first triangle I drew represents a horse's face. The fine vertical lines next to it, like a comb, are inspired by a horse's mane. I often replace the theme's subject with easily recognizable shapes or symbolic motifs in my work. This cluster of dots represents the rivets on jeans, the arched lines are the arcuate stitching on the pockets, and the horse figures, depicted with triangles and fine vertical lines, are stylized representations of the two horses on the leather patch. When I thought about how to express Levi's^®jeans in my own way, these images came to mind.”

I had a feeling about those arched lines... and hearing her explanation confirmed it perfectly. The 'array of shapes drawn in varying shades of indigo' was落とし込まれ (otoshi komare - incorporated/translated) onto the white canvas with beautiful balance, wonderfully expressing LMC as envisioned by Sayori Wada.

The title is 'THE TWO HORSES.' It conveys great affection and respect for Levi's^®'s iconic designs, details, and components.


“Levi's^®is truly the king of jeans. For someone like me who wears nothing but jeans every day, it's an object of admiration, and I never imagined I'd have the chance to collaborate. LMC is also very hip, but not at all over the top; the quality of the materials and craftsmanship really stands out. It's a brand I truly love. It's also a treasure trove of motifs, like secret codes (laughs).”

Jeans Are Alive—Wada's words resonate deeply.

“Using indigo as paint for the first time this time, I truly understood that indigo is a 'living' material. You can freely control the shade by adjusting the amount of water, and its expression changes completely between right after application and when it's dry. Furthermore, gravity causes it to naturally drip and bleed, creating nuances and 'movement' that are impossible to achieve with pens or other tools. Like yeast that makes bread rise, I realized that indigo is a living material with the power to transform a work. I want to continue using it. Jeans, which change their appearance with every wash and wear, are surely alive just like indigo itself.”

For Sayori Wada, art is something that can be discovered everywhere, simply by walking down the street.

Outfit worn by Wada
All Levi's^®Made & Crafted™

Levi's^®Made & Crafted™
http://www.e-levi.jp/shop/made

Levi's^®Double X
Tel. 03-6418-5501

Sayori Wada
A Japanese artist whose illustrations, characterized by bold lines that fuse digital and analog techniques, and free-spirited yet powerful paintings, are supported both domestically and internationally. In 2014, she released the illustration book '27' (WOOLY ARTS Publishing), featuring legends who passed away at the age of 27. She received the Product Award at the Manhattan Portage Art Award 2014, and her design was adopted for a bag in the Spring/Summer 2015 season. She has also collaborated on items with various fashion brands worldwide. Her work can also be seen on the interior walls of Tokyu Hands stores, the TOMMY Harajuku store, and Brasserie Le Duc in Roppongi Hills.