WHILE Japanese artist Hiroyasu Tsuri, known as TWOONE (pronounced two-one), is in Leongatha working on a new look for South Gippsland Shire’s trio of ArtCubes, mentoring a couple of young artists who are collaborating on the project, he recently ran two events in Korumburra.
His free Youth Art Workshop, held at Korumburra Community Hub, was for those aged 12 to 25, with the main concept being to promote thinking through physical action, the creative process triggered by movement.
“I just told them, ‘Don’t think too much about what you are going to paint; instead, just start moving bodies or hands to make a mark’,” Hiroyasu said, that approach getting the creative young participants going as ideas sprang to mind in response to the marks they had made.
While he brought along red, white and blue paints, participants were given just one colour for each canvas, TWOONE believing that limiting colours enables one to focus easily on movement, shapes and tones, rather than thinking about what colour to use next.
The workshop was followed by an artist talk at the Coterie, with a mixed crowd hearing about Hiroyasu’s shift into the art scene after his move from Japan to Melbourne at the age of 18, originally to learn English, and his subsequent travels around the world creating art.
Early in his time in Melbourne, he met street artists through skateboarding and socialising, soon being invited to join them.
Having found joy in creativity as a child and seeing something in that field as a dream job, it had appeared unrealistic until he was surrounded by people living that lifestyle.
“So, 10 months became 11 years,” Hiroyasu said of his extended stay down under.
He then lived in Berlin for eight years with his Aussie wife, maintaining his connection with Australia, where he had permanent residency, by continuing to come back for artistic projects.
They now have a house in Italy, a base from which to travel to many countries.
Attendees at the Korumburra artist talk also heard about the creative approach Hiroyasu shared with those at the earlier workshop.
Sentinel-Times plans to catch up with TWOONE and his young collaborators as the ArtCube mural project progresses.
