Tetsu Takeda (b. 1961, Kobe, Japan)

 

Lived abroad in New York for twenty-three years and returned to Japan in 2010. A graduate of Musashino Art University (Department of Art), Tetsu moved to New York two years after his graduation and further studied printmaking at School of Visual Arts in NYC. Tetsu has exhibited in Japan and UK. He has always wanted to become an artist and live abroad since he was a child.

New York in the 80s and its culture has great impact on Tetsu’s works, in particular he was influenced by music, graffiti and street art at times. It was a prime foundation that made him become a person who can express himself and his art freely.

Living in a small town near the sea after his return to Japan in 2010, Tetsu found himself a way to settle down: through nature. By taking a walk to the coast everyday, he has found comfort in the natural environment, and nature has become the main subject of his art. After the Fukushima nuclear disaster happened in 2011, Tetsu rethinks the relationship between nature and mankind, and starts to make his statement in his paintings and three-dimensional works. The Black Stuff series was created for people who are living in despair after the accident, sharing positive energy and comfort to those who lost their hopes.