On My Art 2
- Goro Shintami 2013

"Love and Growth" has been my art theme for the last 20 years. Important things in life are also important in art. I've used often the words of "Love and growth," as the exhibition's theme. In this way, in each exhibition, its theme reminds me of the most important things in life. All other things are on the side, even thought they are important. This theme remains a clear guideline for me in life and in art, when I'm lost.

Every person lives for others and for itselve. Love is the power of helping others and helping others make you happy. Growth, on the other hand, is a force of helping itself. The goal of growth is wisdom.
I have made sculptures based on the theme "mother and child". When I made those sculptures, I understood what the child could feel. I was myself the child, a beloved child. I also understood the mother's feelings. I was both the child and the mother at the same time. In addition, I felt the feelings of the gardian of the mother and the child, even though the gardian was not made. The position of the sculptor may be close to that of the gardian. I was enthusiastic and prepared over ten sculptures on "Mother and Child".

I have made sculptures, which name is "Union". Sculptures show a man and a woman together. I realized that the most important thing in marriage is seeing together, walking together. At the words level, the thing may sound normal, but I understood it at the emotional level. This experience was impressive. I have made more than ten sculptures of this series.

I have made the sculpture, which is called "Forest Elf". In doing so, I felt the power of growth. Human has the same power as the tree. When the time comes, the shoots grow. We grow by ourselves. We do not have to grow ourselves but only surrender to growth. This feeling or insight gave me the liberation. Let the growth happen, surrender to it, and so we grow better.

Wisdom has no form. I use oriental meditation characters and also guardian angels to describe it. The climax of wisdom is enlightenment, maybe because I grow up in a Buddhist family. I've seen a couple of times in moments of enlightenment. They suddenly happened unexpectedly and passed right in the halfsleeping state. I just remember that I felt something very special. I had the feeling that I understood everything. I hope I can see it again.

Mothe and Child 2, 1995

 

Man and Woman, 2000

 

Forest Elf, 1999

Water Elf, 2002

Enlightenment of Lotus 2007

Enlightment, 2012