Ohtake:My name is Ayako Otake, born in 1988 in Uwajima City, Ehime Prefecture, Japan. I came to Tokyo to go to university, returned to my hometown for a year after graduation, and then moved to England. I attended the University of the Arts London called Central Saint Martins for 4 years and graduated this year 2016 BA( Bachelor ). I am now painting and taking pictures.

Ohtake:The most important influence may have been my father. I think I started to be attracted to the atmosphere of London when I visited a friend of my father's who lived there with his family in high school. The university I attended in Japan was not an art college, but I had always been interested in art, so I found a short course at Central Saint Martins that combined English and fine art classes during the summer vacation of my second year of college, and I studied there for about a month. Compared to now, I don't think I could even speak English, so it is strange how well I was able to communicate, but everything was new and exciting, from classes where I had someone look at something I had made, to walking around the city with a sense of excitement. It made me want to come back here for sure, and I will return to Central Saint Martins after graduating from university.

Ohtake:Yes, I did. I used to play with them when I was little. My father's studio was next to our house, and I often went there to play and draw pictures on the wall when I was a child. Also, when we had dinner as a family, we would play picture shiritori or build a house out of cardboard together. We also made karuta (Japanese playing cards) from scratch, thought up four-panel cartoons, and so on... there were many things. I feel that the time we spent together was connected to my making things as well.

Ohtake:I went to a Japanese university properly, but I was not good at drinking and clubs. I always thought that if I had to spend every day like this, I wanted to study abroad soon and learn to speak English. Of course, I had fun with my friends, but there was always something bothering me. Looking back, there are times when I wish I had done more. Now that I am here in London with money to do what I want to do, I think I need to do something about it. There are a lot of interesting exhibitions going on, and I think I have become more independent, wanting to see what I can. I think I have become more outgoing.

Ohtake:Indeed, I sometimes wondered why I had come to this place when everyone around me in Japan was getting a good job. I thought, "Maybe I should go back to Japan and work. I thought, "Don't worry, I have to do it! But..." I think I was always conflicted.

Ohtake:Now I answer that I make things because I also draw and I am interested in photography and many other things. Artists, I'm embarrassed to say, but I think that's what it is. I am not sure, and I think it could be anything. But I think that if I don't say so myself, it's not good enough. I am embarrassed to say it myself, though. I take pictures, but I am not a photographer. I guess I am a collector who collects what I like in a sense.

Ohtake:I have always written with a mechanical pencil. But the photos were not meant to be shown to others. I was just taking pictures of things that motivated me to create, and when they started to fill up and I wanted to do something with them, I talked to my teacher, and he said it would be a good idea. He connected me to a teacher who specializes in photography, and when I went to show them to him, he liked them too. That's how I decided to make this one of my projects. That was the beginning. At that time, I thought, "What the heck is this? I might not have been able to put it together. I like to do things with my hands, like embroidery. For now, I want to try all kinds of things. I have always wanted to keep making something, and I don't know what form that will take. If someone likes it, of course, selling it is one way. I know that is not an easy thing to do. Anyway, I want to be interested in various things. I don't know what is out there, I want to exhibit my work and have people see it, I want to compile my photos into a book, and I want to try all kinds of things. I believe that when my curiosity is over, I'm done. I don't want to miss anything. I'm always scurrying around when I walk in the city. I think London is full of weird things.

Ohtake:I feel that I need to continue with photography and painting. These are the two things that I intuitively choose and continue to record.

Ohtake:Recently, I thought, "Wow!" I thought, "I've been reinforcing my car with clear tape. I don't know if it was broken, but I was surprised to see quite a bit of it. It's weird that they use that kind of duct tape to hold it together, but I love it. Maybe I just don't have the money to replace it, but I thought it was fine. But I thought it was fine. I'm glad that I have the sensitivity to respond to that. I don't want to assume that they are not interested.

Ohtake:Maybe it is my state of mind, but I feel happy. I feel free. When I go to cafes, everyone greets me. How are you?" It makes me feel better even if I don't like it. It's a simple thing, but it cheers me up when someone smiles and talks to me. When I walk down the street, people stop me and tell me how cool my jacket is or how nice my bag is. I don't have to tell them anything, I can just walk by. It makes me happy to receive compliments, and that kind of communication happens in passing. I don't think that is the case in Japan. When you go to a convenience store in Japan and someone says, "How are you? It may seem a little strange to be asked "How are you?" at a convenience store in Japan because of the cultural difference, but in London, even at off-license stores (convenience stores in Japan), there is a normal, casual conversation.

Ohtake:I guess it's the right place. Often things don't work out on time. You have an appointment and they don't show up. Or when there is a police box and no one is there to respond to the call. Also, some places are messy. When I asked them to print and bind my photos, they told me that the colors were different and that there was nothing they could do about it. When I ask them to cut the photos neatly, they say it can't be helped. In such cases, things don't always go smoothly. But I can forgive them, so I don't dislike them that much. Even if the city is dirty, I still want to take pictures of it. It is often cloudy, but the sky is wide, so I don't mind the weather that much. However, I have not experienced any specific fear, but I think it is different from the night streets in Japan. Someone is yelling or something. I sometimes feel that I should not approach there.

Ohtake:Convenience, politeness. They do all this for us? I am surprised. When I go back to Japan, I would like to go to the World Trade Center and the Kinokuniya Department Store. I enjoy just looking at them, so I wander around there every time. The amount of different kinds of stationery is totally different and the prices are cheap. I often use a mechanical pencil, 0.2mm, and they don't sell them in London. Even if they do, they are expensive. Also, of course, the food is delicious. I enjoy just going to drugstores and convenience stores, which I think is unique to Japan. I think it is unique to Japan. In London, even in supermarkets, there are things that are rotten, and you have to look at them yourself. It is your responsibility. In Japan, it's the store's responsibility, isn't it?

Ohtake:I think I might get a lot of "I'm sorry. I think they say, "You don't have to apologize so much. It's like we are saying to each other, "I'm sorry, I'm sorry. Maybe I am too polite. In London, I have to do things by myself, and it's natural for me to do so.

Ohtake:I was able to see how people see what I have created, and I realized that I can do this kind of thing because there are many other people who interpret and approach my work in a completely different way. Also, when I see the work of someone who is genuinely good at drawing, it makes me feel like I have no choice but to do it. It is stimulating. I need to know more about various things, and I need to increase my knowledge. Also, sometimes I think the process is more important than the finished work. Why did you think this way? or, "How did you change it after receiving feedback from others? I just want to draw what I like. It was good to be able to experiment with various things, rather than just drawing what I liked.

Ohtake:I don't know how difficult it is, but I felt the atmosphere that something big had happened, and I think it is important to remember that I spent time in London when you never know when or where something will happen, not only leaving the EU but also terrorism. Rather than difficult things, I just hope that someone close to me doesn't have a bad experience.

Ohtake:I had the opportunity to present my graduation project as a solo exhibition. I have a solo exhibition scheduled for October in Singapore with the same content, so I will focus on that for the time being. After that, I will return to Japan.

Ohtake:This is because I graduated from a BA (Bachelor of Arts) program and my VISA has expired. I still want to stay in London, but it is too expensive to live there and there are visa issues, so I decided to think about what I will do in Japan. Of course I want to make something of myself, but I still want to know more about my parents' work and what I can do at their side. If I really want to go back to London, there are options such as going on to higher education or working holiday, so I can think about that at that time. Some of my friends are going to Berlin or Amsterdam after graduation, but going there now is not an option for me. Right now, I think I need to do something that will allow me to make money on my own. If I stay here, I won't be able to make enough money to live on right away. I feel like I can come back again. As long as I can survive, I am not particular about where I live. I will return home once, but I don't think that I have to stay in Japan forever.

Ohtake:I want to show my work to my parents, and I want people I know to see it. In any case, I want to meet people. I am anxious, but I am looking forward to meeting all kinds of people. Since I came to London, I have met many people and have come this far. Some of my friends have arranged my solo exhibitions, and some magazines have interviewed me after seeing my graduation exhibition. This project is one of them. So I am glad to have come to London, and I am also anxious to connect with the people I have met.

Ohtake:I was simply happy to be given the opportunity to be seen by others. It gave me a chance to think about what I wanted to do and what I wanted to show. Until now, I would make something, show it, get feedback, and that was it. I never had a chance to have anyone other than my classmates look at it. Having so many people look at my work was good for me because it stimulated me and motivated me.

Ohtake:I was able to create something that could be called a work of art. I was also able to hold a solo exhibition. I could never have done it alone, so it was great to meet so many different people. I really feel that I have changed, and I enjoy talking with people. I think that meeting people has led to a chain of events that has brought me to where I am today. If I had not been invited by someone and not gone there, I would have had many conversations that would not have happened. I feel that there is also a mysterious fate.

Ohtake:I have a collection of things that interest me, and through them I feel like I am leaving them behind once more as a work of art, not a shell, but a work of art. It is not an obsession, but I need to be doing something with my hands, I want to be moving, and I always want to be creating. The energy of people who do things because they want to is amazing, and I admire that.