Akemi Hiiragi

Hiroto Kitagawa (1967- ) is currently work as a sculptor in Tokyo. He was born in Otsu-si, the capital of the Shiga Prefecture in Japan. After graduating from Kanazawa College of Art in 1989, he studied at Academy of Fine Art, Carrara in Italy for a long period. He makes statues of real people by using terracotta, a technique which forms the basis of Western sculptures. This method is very different from that of abstract sculptures, which prevailed in the 1980s in Japan. His sculptures are quite realistic but at the same time, very familiar and cute as Japanese manga characters. He emphasizes the properties of terracotta and leaves the rough surface as it is. Also, he usually makes a figure with hands without any sketch and once the sculpture is completed, he colors it with acryl paints and adorns the sculpture with real accessories or gears like headphones to add a reality. His sculptures are a good manifestation of his deep thoughts and warm view on people.