Artwork by Masaki Hirokawa

Archetypus

元型

Jul 2020·Photo collage·Digital media·123 x 99 cm (Height x Width)

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This artwork, titled "Archetypus," explores the theme of "A Return to the Archetypal and Repetition," featuring repeated reproductions of a woman wearing a bird mask — an expression of humanity's fierce desires. The logic that sustains madness is indispensable to art, and indeed to human civilization; yet for the artist, logic is no more than a means of restraining the senses. The coexistence of the two thus gives rise to a repetition like that of facing mirrors — endlessly looping within nested structures. There is no end to it; only a nested world looping on. Perhaps human history, culture, wars and conflicts, and even the cosmos itself, have been constructed in just this way.

Examining the theme of returning to archetypes and repetition, this piece reveals humanity’s fundamental desires. It integrates and expresses recurring patterns in history, thought, nations, and families.

The artwork consists of a collage of repeated images of the same figure. Each mask was uniquely modified with individual restorations and damages to make them appear distinct.

Masks were replicated based on logical calculations, with intuitive adjustments compensating for any remaining inconsistencies. The design allows the artwork to appear both symmetrical and asymmetrical, reminiscent of peering into opposing mirrors.

Initial processing was done in Adobe Lightroom, followed by collage assembly in Adobe Photoshop. Enhancements and corrections were applied to finalize the image. Subsequently, all elements were integrated into a single composition and retouched from the beginning again in Adobe Photoshop. Although the dimensions are slightly larger than A0 size, the piece contains over 200 layers, resulting in a total file size of around 20GB. Detailed brushwork was predominantly used, and corrections were carried out with great delicacy. To evoke a sense of nostalgia, the masks were intentionally damaged and repaired, enhancing the overall atmosphere.

To achieve a painterly finish, the artwork was meticulously brushed to subtly blur its archetypal roots. Each mask was individually detailed to prevent simple replication. In pursuing the boundary between beauty and ugliness, the piece reveals a manifestation of the psyche that transcends mere aesthetic appreciation.

This research focuses on visual expressions that enrich the human spirit, encompassing not only material wealth but also mental serenity. Unlike other works, this piece aims to evoke a profound visual and emotional impact on the viewer, relying predominantly on inspiration—which is extremely challenging to verbalize. Inspiration, derived from the external environment, originates from the “superego” in psychology or “spirits” in the spiritual realm. By collecting data through psychological dictionaries and surrealistic artworks, the piece elicits powerful responses due to its deep psychological resonance and depiction of critical human systems like business, society, ideology, and culture. It is one of the works that received the most reactions from viewers, likely because it delves into the depths of the human subconscious.