Spread on social media, breaking through on smartphones

Around 2014, about two years after Mr. Kamei started using Facebook, he noticed a surge in "likes." Puzzled, he investigated and discovered that the primary tool for its spread was Tumblr. "I suspect someone must have taken an image from my Facebook page and posted it. I felt some kind of movement, not around me, but overseas," Mr. Kamei recalls. That was the precursor. The fateful email came from a staff member at DIOR HOMME, a contact initiated by Creative Director Kris Van Assche.

"When researching flower motifs, I stumbled upon Toru Kamei. He is a Japanese artist. His style is dark and gothic, a new wave of floral expression. We were able to connect and incorporate some of his works into our collection. They appear in today's show." (Quote from Kris Van Assche, from an official video)



Was it some kind of prank? While he had a devoted following, his name recognition was still limited. Yet, suddenly, an offer arrived from a major international corporation. This was indeed the era where individuals connect online. Kris Van Assche discovered Mr. Kamei's work on the internet and had also acquired a collection of his paintings published in Japan in 2009.

Meanwhile, Mr. Kamei was not very familiar with the fashion world at the time. He knew the name DIOR, but he didn't really understand what kind of brand it was, nor did he know that the brand had a "HOMME" line. Nevertheless, the offer prompted him to look up runway videos and brand imagery. What he noticed was the brand's unique worldview.

"Within the image that DIOR HOMME (http://www.dior.com/couture/en_us/mens-fashion/collections-and-fashion-shows/dior-homme-summer-2017-show) seeks to create, I saw the fragility of an adolescent boy. As people enter adolescence, they instinctively start paying attention to their appearance and try to adorn themselves with slightly eccentric styles. Sensitive, they feel pain from every stimulus and rebel for no reason. I empathize and resonate with that adolescent boy's mindset." (Mr. Kamei)





Mr. Kamei remembers what Kris Van Assche told him when they met backstage at a fashion show in Paris. Though not fluent in English, he heard the word "Philosophy."

I like the philosophy of your work.

The Creative Director in front of him told him so, Mr. Kamei understood. As someone involved in creation, no further words were needed.

"I communicated with several members of the production team, and they were all frank, quick to respond in a sensory way, and expressive. Most importantly, I was happy to feel their respect for the work. I use my creativity solely for my own work, while they apply their creativity for the brand. Seeing them like that was fresh and brilliant to me." (Mr. Kamei)

Though their stages were different, it was a moment of mutual trust as fellow creators. As a result, they entered into a contract for five works with DIOR HOMME, culminating in the Summer 2017 collection. "They too are desperately pursuing their ideals," Mr. Kamei says. This led him to feel, "If it's what they want to do, they are free to use my work as they wish."

Page02.The era seeks the philosophy of Kamei's work

The era seeks the philosophy of Kamei's work

Dark, real, surreal, and quiet. A skull that seems to smile gently, rather than evoke suffering. Among the many skulls I've seen, I feel this skull could be described as "cute."



"My paintings are mostly about my own heart. Therefore, this skull is also a projection of myself. Even if I die, flowers will bloom. Even if my individual life ends, the world will continue unchanged. This work depicts the contrast between the transience of life and the vitality that transcends the finite and cycles on." (Mr. Kamei)

The theme of Vanitas has been painted since the Middle Ages in Europe, and it became immensely popular with the Flemish painters of the 16th and 17th centuries. The word Vanitas itself is Latin for "emptiness" or "vanity." And true to its meaning, Vanitas paintings are depictions of the emptiness of death. However, he painted a skull as a self-portrait, evoking a certain emotion in the viewer.

Even if life ends, a smile.





Mr. Kamei also states, "I cherish the adolescent boy's mindset." He says this is the driving force behind his painting.

"The delicate and fluctuating emotions of adolescence, as well as loneliness and sadness, tend to fade as we adapt to society. We become unable to tear our eyes away from the mysterious movement of rising smoke, or are captivated by the hues of strangely glowing pebbles; such curiosity-filled senses diminish with experience. I feel we are inevitably swept away and corrected by general values." (Mr. Kamei)

Hearing this, I was struck. In this way, those who are eventually corrected by society sometimes lose themselves and feel crushed by it. I always think that I am not valuing my own "life." The era when everyone had to become a cog in the machine to keep society running and work desperately should have long passed. Technology should have enriched our lives.

What Mr. Kamei expresses is a dialogue with himself. It is the importance of pausing to reflect on oneself. The purity that everyone possessed in adolescence. If you call that "chuunibyou" (eighth-grader syndrome), then we are LOSERS afraid of society.






Finally, I would like to conclude this article with Mr. Kamei's message on his view of life and death.

"Lately, I've been more deeply realizing that everyone's time in life is limited. I think death arrives surprisingly easily. However, precisely because life is fleeting, it also inspires us to live. If I have the grace period to come to terms with my death, I hope to end my life with a sense of fulfillment, just as a hard day's work leads to a comfortable sleep." (Mr. Kamei)

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Toru Kamei Solo Exhibition "Series: All the Flowers and Insects"

In addition to the three works below, a total of five pieces, including two new works, will be exhibited.








Information on the art book published in 2009 can be found here. (http://treville.ocnk.net/product/31) (http://www.editions-treville.net/?pid=13492570)