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<\/a><\/p>\nAn Adventurous and Mischievous Cat\/h2><\/p>\n– How did you first meet Kokichi?<\/h3>\n
\u201cI had a couple of cats – a brother and a sister – for about 22 or 23 years. However, the pair finally passed away five years ago. Then my wife passed away as well. So I was forced to live alone again. Starting to feel lonely, I decided I wanted another cat, so an acquaintance gave me one. I was told that he is an Abyssinian, but his fur color seems a bit different, so maybe he is a mix of breeds. When he first came to my house, he was small enough to fit in my hand, so I named him Kokichi (\u2018small luck\u2019).\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cCats have been a part of my life since as far back as I can remember. I did have a dog once, but cats were always there. I once picked up a stray kitten in the park and tried to take care of it, but it disappeared within a day. Cats are strange creatures.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYes, he loves people. But then again he also really likes being on his own outside. He escapes quite often. About three years ago when he escaped, he got trapped between tools in a school\u2019s closet. It took us a few days to find him there. He also escaped around New Year\u2019s Day this year. My neighbor found him hiding out under an empty house.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cCats can sometimes be so much like humans. They\u2019ll come over to you if you call. They\u2019ll fawn on your lap when they feel like it. However, Kokichi does none of this. He doesn\u2019t even show any interest in human food. I guess his \u2018wild\u2019 side is still strong. Yet, he never goes to bathroom outside \u2013 he\u2019ll always come home to take care of business. The cats I had before, they all did their business outside. It\u2018s very interesting to see how each cat has such a distinctive personality.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI guess that\u2019s true. Like cats, designers are usually very introverted. In fact, I myself never liked being restricted. So I could never last long being employed by a company. That\u2019s why I ended up doing business independently. I guess if you call that quality \u2018cat-like,\u2019 then that would make me a cat-person. I\u2019m definitely not a dog-type person. (laughs)\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWhen the gallery said, \u2018How about a cat-themed show this time?,\u2019 I honestly found myself hesitating a bit. This is because cats are not a product of my imagination. They\u2019re real creatures. I mean, how can I draw them realistically? It is much more difficult than it sounds.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThey are imaginary. However, even if they are imaginary, they have to be realistic. Because I spend time with cats all year long, I am able to draw them without even looking at them. What\u2019s important is accurately drawing the form of their bodies \u2013 at least more so than their faces. When they stretch out. When they groom themselves. When they wash their faces. I wanted to depict these kinds of natural poses.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI somehow always manage to make their faces look kind of scary. But then again, if you look very close, cats actually do have scary faces, don\u2019t you think? With their almond-shaped eyes and fangs… So I guess the hardest thing for me is finding a balance between not making them look too scary or too cute.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWell, my daughter happens to be an architect, and I once had her build a cat-themed side-table based on my design. I had them done in a Japanese lacquer-finish as a part of a collaboration project involving traditional industry. It was called \u2018Dento-House.\u2019 I designed the tables to be covered in jet-black lacquer in order to resemble a black cat. It ended up being pretty pricey, but we did get a quite a few orders when we exhibited the piece in Paris. I was pleasantly surprised to see that there are people who enjoy goods done in a cat-motif. If I come up with another good idea, I\u2019d like to try doing this again.\u201d <\/p>\n \u201cI can\u2019t live without him. When he escapes, I feel sad and lonely. Kokichi is very free-spirited \u2013 he\u2019ll even roll all over my worktable even if I\u2019m meeting with guests around it. When it comes to dogs, we can talk some sense into them. But cats defy all logic.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cMost Japanese cats understand our words, I think. But Kokichi is of European-origin, so he probably doesn\u2019t understand Japanese.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a>
\n\uff1cKokichi shortly after his arrival at the Nakajo Residence\uff1e<\/p>\n–\tDid you live with cats as a child?<\/h3>\n
<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n– Kokichi seems to be very friendly with people.<\/h3>\n
<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n– So that\u2019s what the thank you note on your front door is all about. (laughs)<\/h3>\n
<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\nDrawing Realistic Cats<\/h2>\n
– People say that designers and artists tend to be cat-lovers. Do you consider yourself a \u2018cat person\u2019?<\/h3>\n
<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n– You held a solo exhibition titled \u201cCATS\u201d at the HB gallery in Aoyama last year. Do you enjoy drawing cats?<\/h3>\n
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\n\uff1c\u2018CATS Exhibition\uff1e<\/p>\n– Was Kokichi the model for these works? Or are they imaginary cats?<\/h3>\n
<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n-What is the most difficult part of drawing cats?<\/h3>\n
<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n– Have you ever designed any products done in a cat theme?<\/h3>\n
<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\nThey\u2019re Attractive Because They\u2019re Free<\/h2>\n
– How would you define your relationship with Kokichi?<\/h3>\n
<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n– Do you think he understands what you say?<\/h3>\n
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