50. Junpei Hiraoka  平岡純平

Junpei Hiraoka was born in 1996 in Tokyo. He first studied painting at the iconic Setsu Mode Seminar art school in Tokyo, and continued his studies in ceramics at the Ishoken (Tajimi City Pottery Design and Technical Center) and the Utatsyama Kogei Kobo in Kanazawa. His sculptures are exceptionally powerful mainly because of the surface covered with many layers of slip, applied in a manner reminiscent of Jackson Polllock's drip paintings. Junpei Hiraoka uses the plasticity of clay to instinctively express an abstract and constantly changing form of emotion. Only when the body is ready does he carefully cover it with colored slip. Although at first glance the outward appearance seems to be based on chance, it is far from it. He controls the material, color and texture by applying the slip in separate layers that match a particular emotion that he has in mind at the time. He hopes that through this presentation in this particular form and color also triggers an emotional response in the viewer and therefore can open a window into their own inner emotions.

Hiraoka currently lives and works in Kanazawa. He is still young but already successful. He exhibits at important Japanese art fairs and exhibitions and also won several awards including the First Prize Setsu Fashion Seminar and Aoki Seishin no Katachi Exhibition Prize. His work is included the collections of e Tajimi city, Ishoken Tajimi Japan and the Sasama Konan Japan.