KOMONO and the people who create it. Vol.4 Painter Frankie Suich
KOMONO is an accessory brand based in Antwerp, Belgium, that mainly offers sophisticated products such as watches and sunglasses. We previously interviewed the designer, who is also well versed in the art world, about the brand's simple, unisex designs and poetic visuals, which are steadily gaining recognition here in Japan. In this issue, we will introduce the brand's newest models through the filters of four creators who are well versed in art and culture. In this fourth and final installment, we introduce Frankie Suich, a.k.a. Frankie, who is active as a painter both in Japan and abroad.
Born in Tokyo in 1988. She graduated from the School of Visual Arts, a prestigious art college in New York, and currently lives and works in Tokyo as a painter and artist. Her work is not limited to the canvas, as her overflowing imagination has led her to create murals, live paintings, and a wide range of other forms of expression. She has participated in collaborations with Starbucks, MINI Cooper, Adobe, Microsoft, and many other companies. She is known for her appearance on Fuji TV's "Terrace House" in 2014.
The Walther Raven" ￥22,000+TAX
This model features the brand's signature domed face with a small seconds design. The all-black coloring and leather belt give a chic impression reminiscent of the night.
I am a Japanese who felt painfully in the U.S.
Frankie has recently been attracting attention for his activities as a live painter who travels around the world, but I would like to ask you about how you became interested in becoming a painter in the first place.
flunkyI have always loved to draw. I was the kind of kid who, whenever I found a note in a restaurant or hotel, would spend hours drawing, and as much as I liked drawing, I also liked thinking, "What kind of picture should I draw? I liked to think about what kind of picture I should draw as much as I liked to draw. So I don't have any particular turning point in my life. I think I simply grew up as a child.
My father is an industrial designer whose works have been exhibited at MOMA (Museum of Modern Art, New York), and my uncle also worked as an art director, directing commercials and advertisements, so these influences were also significant. My mother influenced me in terms of education, and when I was 10 years old, she recommended me to go to college overseas. At that time, I myself was attending an international school, and by the time I was about to enter high school, my awareness of going abroad naturally grew. Then, when it came time to go to high school and think about my career path, I looked at various American universities and decided that I wanted to go to an art college, so I enrolled in the School of Visual Arts in New York. At that time, I had a clear goal of becoming a painter.
The School of Visual Arts is known as a prestigious school that has produced many famous artists, including Keith Haring. Was it a stimulating environment?
flunkyI was in a culture shock at the beginning of my stay in New York City. It was a city of many happenings. The most impressive thing was that the city was full of homeless people. Also, the students at the same art college and young creators living in New York were all gung-ho and aggressive in their approach to things. I was also surprised at how many people were able to output their inner selves.
I am half American and half Japanese, and I went to an international school in Japan, so I had always thought of myself as American, but I was reminded once again that I am Japanese. It was an opportunity for me to rethink my identity and roots. It was truly an identity crisis. But I think it also affected my current works and activities in a positive way, so it was a valuable experience for me now.
Frankie's artwork, inspired by the Icelandic mountains that are the seasonal theme of this year's "Komono," will also be displayed in the store.
You are fluent in English, and you must have had a hard time adjusting to such an environment even though you are half English. What did you learn at school?
flunkyI have never attended an art school in Japan, so I can't make an exact comparison, but at the art school I attended, rather than having classes on copying and learning techniques, I was taught to visit 40 galleries of my choice, write a paper, and give a presentation! It was an environment where the teacher was testing the students. Looking back now, I wonder if the emphasis was on how to express oneself by thinking clearly and exploring themes and triggers on one's own.
What kind of things influence you in your daily activities?
flunkyI have always been very fond of color and shape. They are very abstract. I have seen many things in my life, but coral has always been the thing that has made my blood boil the most. When I went diving or snorkeling and came across corals with psychedelic colors and distorted shapes that could not have been created artificially, that is what excited me the most. That is what is exciting and the biggest inspiration for me. The first time I felt that way, I knew I wanted to incorporate it into my work.
I also had a hard time reading text since I was little, but I liked looking at pictures and photos instead. When asked, "What kind of pictures do you like? If you ask me what kind of pictures I like, I will answer without hesitation that I like conceptual works. I think it is the same with contemporary art, but I am attracted to things that become vivid only when there is a concept. So, if we talk about photographers, I love Hiroshi Sugimoto, who has been taking pictures of old movie theaters. I have had a camera since I was 10 years old, and I sometimes take pictures as a hobby, but there are many things in common with painting, such as composition, so I try to record what interests me.
Time is a law that man has decided on his own.
Tools such as brushes, paints, and paints are indispensable for live painting.
Frankie's recent activities include live painting, which has become one of your mainstays. Do you usually have a theme for your live painting?
flunkyI sometimes receive a theme or assignment from a client for a live painting session, but I try to focus on expressing my "current self" without a clear theme as much as possible. It is meaningless unless I am having fun doing it, after all. Recently, I have been wanting to create more interactive works that are not simply canvases or murals, and recently I prepared a container in my truck for live painting in which you can enter the painting and paint all over the space, including the floor. I wanted visitors to experience the strange sensation of walking into the painting, as if they were walking into a sea of paintings. I also wrote "NO SHOES" at the entrance so that visitors would think, "I can enter if I take off my shoes. I like that kind of public art in a broad sense.
In this live painting, too, the design is based on a design reminiscent of the Icelandic wilderness, but in gentler, more vivid pastel colors. The circle in the center is inspired by the face of a clock.
And at "VOGUE FASHION'S NIGHT OUT TOKYO" held on September 9, you actually performed live painting at the "H°M′S″ WatchStore Omotesando. Please tell us your frank impression after the event and what kind of thoughts you had when you painted.
flunkyI was able to showcase my work to people who are interested in fashion and art because it was for "VOGUE FASHION'S NIGHT OUT TOKYO," and also from a design standpoint, it was pure fun because I was able to draw a different picture than I have done in the past. This time, I painted this work based on the idea of reaffirming that it was human beings who decided on the man-made law of time in the first place, while modern people are pressed for time every day. The flow of time is infinite, and it is up to each of us to decide how to use it. I thought the title "Abstraction of Time" would be a good way to convey this concept as well.
Time management at the level of haste to live.
First of all, Frankie, you are right-handed, but you wear your watches on your right hand, right? Is there a reason for that?
flunkyWhen I paint, I naturally use my right hand, which is my dominant arm, but when I do live painting, my eyes inevitably gravitate to my right hand, which is holding the pen or brush. This naturally leads me to wear my watch and accessories on my right hand more often than not. Live painting is not simply about showing the work, but the process of painting is also a work of art, so I pay attention to my own behavior and appearance.
I see that you wear a watch even when you are painting live. Is that because you have to be constantly aware of the time in order to paint, given the time constraints?
flunky: That's right. But maybe I am more conscious of time in general, not only in live painting. since I was 12 years old, I have been writing an ending note, at what age I will get married, have a baby, and die. I enjoy my life a lot when I have long-term plans and goals like that. When you check off tasks and to-do lists at work, you can feel a sense of accomplishment, can't you? It may be similar to that feeling. That is why I always set my watch five minutes ahead of time and try to stay ahead of time on a daily basis.
How do you feel about the functions and design?
flunkyIt's lighter and easier to use than I imagined. Actually, I really like watches. The solid design gives it a masculine look, but the warmth of the leather belt, combined with the vintage look, gives it a feminine impression. I think it goes well with today's floral fashion. In terms of function, leather is not a good material because paint can seep through it, but in this case, I was completely attracted by the design.
Finally, do you have any future plans or goals that you have already written in your ending note that you would like to achieve in the near future?
flunkyI would like to have my work exhibited in a prominent gallery abroad, especially in the United States. I would be more than happy if one day my work could be included in a collection alongside the works of my favorite artists and painters, such as Frank Stella and Franz Kline. It's not a tomb, but it would make me very happy as a painter to think that my place is there as well.
