Susumu Mukai
Interview (2021)
Starting with a few questions about your background, when you were young, especially a teenager what culture, things, and people were you interested in?Movies, music, and science fiction novels. Specifically, The Thing, Yasutaka Tsutsui, surrealism, Hans Ruedi Giger, Prince. And playing the bass.
How has your thinking changed from your childhood till now?I do not believe that I have changed that much from when I was a child, but at the same time, I feel as if I am a different person. For sure I have changed but because it was gradual. I do not really know. Maybe if I go to counseling, I could then know how I have changed. I would like to.
When did you start illustration and what did you start drawing at the time?I’ve loved drawing since I was a child. I started out drawing animals, dinosaurs, and fish. With the influence of the movie The Thing, I began drawing zombies-like creatures as well.
Was your childhood spent in Japan?Yes. I lived mostly in western Japan, downtown Osaka, and the nature-rich Nara. From kindergarten to lower elementary school, I lived in Nara and remember always going to play at temples and shrines.
What memory from your childhood do you most strongly remember?I remember being strongly impacted after seeing tapestries of scenes of hell and Ashura Statues. One of the temples I always went to had an old painting of scenes of hell, I even remember receiving a picture book about heaven and hell. The depictured world although very brutal and scary but was so out there it was almost comical. Ashura Statues are famous around Japan, but I remember the statue being beautiful with a sleek face and long arms and legs. Also, I remember the Great Buddha of Todaiji-temple, the mysterious stones shaped like turtles and monkeys, and who knows what, from the tombs and ancient ruins found all over Nara.
Influence from Buddha statues and ruins can be seen in your art style, but in detail how has your environment from your childhood affected your illustration?Yeah, I would agree. I think anyone would come to love them because when you see ancient ruins with your own eyes, they are truly amazing. Since from a child I loved nature and animals, and my environment around me had lots of nature surrounding it, I believe that my environment had some sort of influence on me.
When you moved to the UK at the age of 11, did you experience culture shock?I did not experience culture shock. If I had to say something maybe the change in food. Since I was a kid at the time, I think I adjusted without a second thought.
You have got a master’s degree in Illustration at the Royal College of Art (RCA), apart from education what else have you gained that you still hold value to this day?I’ve met a lot of people - students, teachers and all the people who came to give lectures. By seeing many artists with different ways of free expression was a unique and valuable experience for me.
In your many collaborations work, are there any RCA classmates with who you have worked?I have many friends from my time at RCA. Two of the members from my live band Zongamin, Will Sweeney, and Robert Green are classmates from RCA. In addition, I have collaborated with Will Sweeney in many exhibitions.