Akimitsu Tamawake was born in 1975 in Tajimi City, Gifu Prefecture. In 2000, he graduated from the Painting Department of University of Toyama. In 2004, he was invited as a researcher and artist by the University of the Arts in Thailand, and served as a lecturer at the Royal Academy of Arts and the School of Design of Rama IV Polytechnic Institute. In 2005, he designed the visually impaired children’s picture book “KAWI” for the Thai Ministry of Art, and has been creating creations about children with disabilities ever since.
Akimitsu Tamawake’s creation cares about children with severe obstacles. Some children are unable to speak, but through the long time with them, artists can begin to understand their thoughts and realize that people can communicate without words. The artist hopes that viewers can feel the perception of existence in the paintings, breeze, running water, forest, family, pleasures, animals, scenery, whispers…just like the way they feel life in his work.
His work revolves around a unique narrative of characters, with no clear hierarchy in the arrangement of elements. The flat composition offers a distinct aesthetic, and the depiction of the characters in a somewhat flat style carries echoes of Fauvism. The piece also utilizes the natural texture of Thai paper, dyed with coffee, to create prints that not only give a rustic feel but also add depth to the background. Tamawake Akimitsu employs colors with low saturation throughout the piece, creating a profound and melancholic atmosphere.
According to Tamawake, his creative process is akin to writing a diary, capturing moments from his life. Having spent a significant amount of time alongside children with severe disabilities, he gradually came to understand their thoughts and realized that people can communicate without the need for words. Thus, Tamawake hopes that viewers will experience a sense of perceptive existence through the imagery in this work, finding a renewed vitality of life through the stories of these children.