Biography

arashi tanaka is a Japanese visual artist based in London. Studied architecture at Tama Art University in Tokyo, and earned a diploma in Fine Art from the University of the Arts London.
         
A multifaceted figure, he has developed his artistic practice mainly through crystallization, sometimes associated with photography and architecture. Grouped in thematic cycles that develop over a long period, arashi tanakaʼs work leverages the phenomena and characteristics inherent in nature, exploring the possibilities of expression while investigating and pursuing the ephemeral and pure beauty of nature. This inspiration stems from his extensive experience spending time in nature, beginning with surfing at the age of three, which has shaped his sense of distance and relationship with nature, as well as his appreciation for its beauty.

In recent years, he has primarily created works using crystallization, focusing on the theme of freezing information and time. By utilizing the unique properties of crystallization, he preserves and freezes elements such as our lifespan, memories, and information about places that would have otherwise faded with time. Through this process, the crystals that envelop nostalgia capture the invisible vitality and the passage of time.
     
tanaka has exhibited in museums around the world, including the Royal Academy of Arts in London, BBA Gallery in Berlin, and WATOWA Gallery in Tokyo. In 2024, he received the British Institution Fund Award, and in 2023, he was shortlisted for the Best Asia Artist Award Prize.

artist statement

Life is like a sparkler, glowing within the confines of limited time and eventually coming to an end. Amid the ceaseless progression of time, where does individual significance reside? Moreover, what possibilities lie within the power inherent in life? These questions are to be crystallized and explored.

My works connect the seamless transience of nature with life, visualizing imperceptible elements like sound and life force through crystallization. By leveraging the characteristics of crystallization, which responds to vibrations and changes shape, I capture images of subjects through photography. The process involves growing crystals alongside the subject's heartbeat, preserving information that would naturally fade away. Through this technique, I aim to express the fleeting nature of human life and its inherent meaning. The vitality and shimmer of life, encapsulated in the images and heartbeats stored within the crystals, offer viewers an opportunity to infuse their thoughts into the flow of time, connecting with the past, present, and future.

By immersing the subject's heartbeat and photograph in a special liquid for several days and continuously agitating them with the heartbeat sound, we harness the crystallization process, which captures and preserves the subject's image and heartbeat within the crystal. These crystals immortalize the transient beauty and resilience of human existence. This work changes over time; the crystal surface turns white and opaque, obscuring the person's face, inviting reflection on the natural passage of time.
⼈⽣は線⾹花⽕のように限られた時間の中で輝き、終わっていく。
儚い時間の流れの中で情報が昇華される世界で、個々の存在意義はどこにあるのだろうか。 私の作品制作は、結晶を媒体としている。液体が時と共に⽴体と変化していく結晶化の⾃然現象を⽤いて、氷のように情報を閉じ込め、時を凍結する。
朧に存在する私たちの⽣命⼒。絶え間なく脈打つ⿎動。思い出の地。
消えてほしくない情報を結晶に乗せて凍結することで、不可視な情報を可視化することができる。
振動によって促され、形状を変える結晶化の特徴を⽤いて、被写体を捉えた写真と被写体の
⼼拍⾳とともに結晶を成⻑させる。
⼼⾳から発芽する結晶は、容姿などの消えゆく情報を結晶の中に凍結、保存する。結晶の輝きは⾒えない⽣命⼒へと⽣まれ変わり、鑑賞者に過去、現在、未来への移り変わる時間に思いをはせる。
時とともに結晶は変化していく。
表⾯の傷は時間とともに再⽣し、被写体の表情は⽩濁した結晶により幻想的に不明瞭になっていくが、⽔を与えることで輝きを取り戻す。
凍結によって、想いを未来に紡ぐ様⼦は、まるでタイムカプセルのようである。

Educations

University of the Arts London (UAL) -Graduate Diploma in Fine Art at Chelsea College of Arts, United Kingdom
2023-
University of the Arts London (ロンドン芸術大学) -Graduate Diploma in Fine Art at Chelsea College of Arts, ロンドン
Tama art University- Bachelor in Department of Architecture and Environmental Design
2022
多摩美術大学環境-デザイン学科建築専攻卒業, 日本

Awards

Jury Awards at You are Different Kyomachibori Art Fair 2024: Eric Zhu Award, Kenta Natomu Award, Hiroaki Shoano Award
You are Different 京町堀 Art Fair 2024 での審査員賞:Eric Zhu賞、納富健太賞、庄野裕晃賞
Recipient of the British Institution Fund Award at the RA Summer Exhibition 2024
2024
RA Summer Exhibition 2024 英国機関基金賞受賞
Selected for the exhibition of an outstanding Final work Project at Tama Art University
2022
多摩美術大学優秀卒業制作選抜

Exhibitions

You are Different 京町堀 Art Fair 2024 , Chignitta, Japan
You are Different 京町堀 Art Fair 2024, Chignitta, 日本
RA Summer Exhibition 2024, Royal Academy of Arts, London
2024
RA Summer Exhibition 2024, Royal Academy of Arts, ロンドン
BBA Online Exhibition, BBA gallery, Berlin
2024
BBA バーチャルエキシビジョン,BBAギャラリー,ベルリン
‘’REIMAGINED RUINS '', Group exhibition, Safehouse 1 and 2, London.
2024
‘’REIMAGINED RUINS '', グループ展示, Safehouse 1 and 2, ロンドン.
Ogilvy UK office, London.
2024
Ogilvy ロンドンオフィス , ロンドン
Best Asian Artist Award Prize, Virtual exhibition.
2024
Best Asian Artist Award Prize, バーチャルエキシビジョン
''HARMONY IN CHAOS '', Group exhibition, Chelsea College Arts, London.
2024
''HARMONY IN CHAOS '', グループエキシビジョン, Chelsea College Arts,ロンドン
''DIPLARK '', Group exhibition, Chelsea College Arts, London.
2023
 ''DIPLARK '', グループエキシビジョン, Chelsea College Arts, ロンドン
WATOWA ART AWARD 2023, Group exhibition, Watowa Gallery, Japan.
2023
WATOWA ART AWARD 2023, グループエキシビジョン, Watowa Gallery,浅草
''SOZAORO '', Group Exhibition, Gallery33, Japan.
2023
’’そぞろ '',グループエキシビジョン, Gallery33, 高円寺
'SAKA MARUYAMA' Kyoto
2023
茶菓円山,京都 
'Tama Art University Graduation Works Exhibition & Postgraduate Works Exhibition 2022' Tama Art University
2022
多摩美術大学卒業制作展・大学院修了制作展2022,グループエキシビジョン,多摩美術大学

Publications

Published in Artsy
2024
Artsy掲載
Published in Al-Tiba9 Art Magazine ISSUE 15, Spain
2015
Al-Tiba9 Art Magazine ISSUE 15, p46-47 掲載, スペイン
Tama Art University's best graduation work published on the web
多摩美術大学, web掲載, 優秀卒業制作
Published in a separate volume of the June issue of ’’Kindai Kenchiku’’: 150 excellent graduation designs from 123 universities across Japan.
2023
近代建築6月号別冊全国123大学建築系卒業設計優秀作品150選掲載
arashitanaka 田中嵐

田中嵐

Artist
Based in London and Japan 

2000年福岡県出身。インテリアデザイナーである父の影響から建築家を志す。2022年多摩美術⼤学環境デザイン学科建築専攻卒業。2022年、美術の側面から建築にアプローチしようとロンドン芸術⼤学へ留学。2024年同大ファインアート学科卒業。ウィリアム・ターナー、デヴィッド・ホックニーらが在籍した英国美術界の最重要機関のロイヤル・アカデミーが1769年から開催し続ける世界最古の公募展「RA Summer exhibition」にて、2024年の〈British Institution Fund Award (英国機関基金賞)〉を日本人で初めて受賞。これを受け、世界の新進気鋭のアーティストを紹介する「Al-Tiba9 Art Magazine」(スペイン)、「FOA(FRIEND OF THE ARTIST)」(アメリカ)といったアートメディアに取り上げられ、世界100カ国、4000以上の美術機関のネットワークによるオンライン・アートプラットフォーム「Artsy」にて作品の取り扱いが始まっている。

Studied architecture at Tama Art University, Department of Environmental Design, and fine arts at the University of the Arts London. Creates works using crystals as a medium, exploring themes of mortality and time. Recipient of the British Institution Fund Award at the RA Summer Exhibition 2024 in London and featured in Artsy magazine. Showcased at BBA Gallery in Germany and other international venues. Through the beauty and fragility of crystals, the works offer viewers profound philosophical reflections on the transience of life and the passage of time.
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