Kensuke Okabe

Kensuke Okabe was born in Osaka in 1990.

He skillfully employs Jesmonite, an innovative material, to create unprecedented sculptural works that challenge conventional artistic forms.

Okabe’s aspiration to become an artist emerged after graduating from university. During his academic training in sculpture, he mastered the technical application of diverse materials, including fiberglass-reinforced plastic (FRP) and metal, adapting his medium to suit the conceptual and formal demands of each piece.

At the foundation of Okabe’s artistic practice lies his engagement with the act of viewing. He describes his experience of being captivated by an artwork, stating, “There are moments when I find myself unable to look away. The instant when I am so mesmerized that I cannot move—I perceive this as a form of magic.”

Okabe refines his sculptural expression through an in-depth study of facial features found in widely recognized cultural imagery. He draws inspiration from familiar public icons such as Kewpie dolls, as well as historical Buddhist statues like Yakushi Nyorai.

He asserts, “In an era oversaturated with information, it is often the most familiar and seemingly ordinary elements that resonate most deeply with people’s emotions. Rather than relying on overly intricate conceptual frameworks, incorporating my own lived experiences enhances the clarity and impact of my work.”

In the present day, as contemporary society faces an overwhelming influx of information and an increasingly fluid state of instability, Okabe explores the representation of hybrid entities—chimeras and mutants—whose composite forms embody the precarious coexistence of disparate elements within a single body. His recent works reflect an inquiry into the evolving nature of identity, transformation, and the tension between order and disorder.

The more Okabe embeds his personal existence, thoughts, and experiences into his work, the more it exerts a compelling centripetal force, transcending linguistic and cultural boundaries to captivate audiences. His sculptures require no explicit verbal explanation; their presence alone suffices to draw viewers in. The artistic ideals Okabe envisioned at the outset of his career now appear to be materializing. His work fosters a profound and immediate sense of enchantment—an experience that unfolds gradually, extending its reach through the power of visual form.