Layering colors like music. Iga Kan'onobu creates harmony through his paintings [Unique Communication #7]
"Isai Tsuushin" is a column introducing artists brought to you by Marie ( @Marie_heralbony ), the Isai Evangelist. In addition to the appeal of the works produced by Isai artists, we will deliver it in a chatty style, including wonderful experiences born from the interaction between Heralbony and Isai artists. For all of you who love the "unusual". We will support your tomorrow with content that will help you relax and give you energy.
Check out all the series
Hello. I'm Marie. This is the author who will be the main character of today's Isai Tsuushin. This is a photo by Kaoru Iga .
This may be a sudden question, but does Mr. Iga's face look familiar somewhere?
In fact, Iga is an unusual artist who served as the face of the brand in the key visual for 2023.
Together with keyboardist Kan Sano, who also produced music for the project "ROUTINE RECORDS" at the 21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art, Kanazawa, and model Chiba Yuka from Iwate, she faced the camera with a dignified presence and a relaxed expression. (The staff on-site were also excited by her model-like appearance...!) 
Iga-san has been learning the cello for over 20 years, and played the instrument on set. Just as the cello plays a harmony of tones, Iga-san is a unique artist who layers colors on the canvas with his own unique sense of color. Let's take a look at the Iga Gan-Otoko production process.
A day in the life of the unique writer, Iga Gan'o-toru.
"Are you nervous?"
When asked by the staff filming the production process, Iga replied "Yes" with a straight look in his eyes. 
However, once I started working, all that tension disappeared. 
First, draw the outline using a marker and a ruler. 
Squeeze paint from the tube onto the drawn lines...
Using a painting knife, he spreads the paint boldly. On this day, he works on several projects at the same time, including red, blue, and white works, and finishes them at an incredible speed. 
The way he layers the colors is almost like playing music. He works happily, humming and singing rhythmically as he creates.
The world of Iga works, in harmony with nature.
Once the production is finished, I head to the nearby forest for my daily walk.
Iga-san often goes mountain climbing. As you can see from the art used by HERALBONY, there are many works that use natural themes such as "leaves" and "forests". The colors that Iga-san finds in nature in his daily life, such as the green of the trees and the blue of the sky, are expressed in his works.
>> Check out the products that feature Iga's art
Here we introduce one of Iga's most impressive works, which symbolizes harmony with nature and is characteristic of his work. Standing in the forest, this cello-shaped object is made up of overlapping paintings. 
This work was exhibited at the Tenowa Forest Museum, held at Musashi-Kokubunji Park in October 2023. As the title "Cellist's Dream" suggests, the image of a cellist closing his eyes and becoming one with nature in the forest while playing colorful melodies comes to mind. It feels like Iga himself is playing his own unique melody through paintings and the cello, inspired by the sensibilities he receives from nature. It's as if you can hear the beautiful melody carried on the wind at any moment.
Sunflowers with blue petals
Iga creates his works using a variety of techniques, sometimes layering paint and other times using oil pastels to create works that have different styles. 
On this day, the work began with applying oil pastels in vibrant, warm colors such as red, orange, and pink to the canvas. 
Layered on top of that is a bold blue. The contrasting color is layered on top of the canvas without hesitation.
Sometimes I used my fingers to spread the colors, and this is the finished piece. 
It's hard to believe that the piece started out with red and orange, but the blues are striking!
Iga's style is characterized by the unique depth created by layering different colors. If you look closely at the finished work, you can see the warm colors that were applied first peeking through the gaps in the blue painted on top. The gradations and textures created by layering multiple layers of art materials give his works a unique personality.
Let's take a look at the sunflowers that Iga has drawn, which reflect his unique style. At first, he painted orange sunflowers that looked familiar, but after adding more layers of color, he created the finished work! 
The result is a deep sunflower with vibrant orange peeking through the refreshing blue.
The glove that Iga drew is now a real thing
Iga is an artist who sometimes creates abstract paintings that combine geometric shapes, and sometimes creates concrete paintings like the sunflowers mentioned earlier.
The traveling special exhibition " Heralbony and Kesennuma Knitting, " which began last month, has launched a project to recreate an actual glove based on Iga's painting by the hand of hand-knitted knitwear brand Kesennuma Knitting. 
Kesennuma Knitting was started after the Great East Japan Earthquake in 2011 with the aim of creating jobs that workers can be proud of and nurturing an industry rooted in the local community. Based in Kesennuma City, Miyagi Prefecture, the company delivers sweaters and cardigans that have been carefully hand-knitted by artisans. 
Kesennuma Knitting has meticulously reproduced Iga's unique color combinations and patterns, and the two-dimensional work "Gloves" will actually warm people's hands. These gloves were born into the world as a product. These gloves are on sale in limited quantities at HERALBONY GALLERY. If you would like to purchase online, please fill out the order form on the Kesennuma Knitting website .
The original artwork is available for sale online
This traveling exhibition is currently being held at HERALBONY GALLERY in Morioka. Iga's colorful and cute paintings of "socks," "plants," "kettles," and other subjects are on display, and the original artworks are also available for purchase at the online store.
These are warm-hearted pieces that will put a smile on your face when you look at them. We hope you will find your favorite one.
>> Click here for a list of Kaoiur Iga's original artworks
Also, here is a video of a day in the life of Iga-san, as introduced in this article. Please take a look.
Kaoru Iga
Born in Tokyo in 1988. After exhibiting at Art Brut Tachikawa in 2015, he has been exhibiting his work every year since then. Due to his autism, he is not good at conversation, but he still loves people and has no hesitation in meeting new people. He also loves music and has been learning the cello for 20 years.
Be sure to also check out the episode of "Listening Museum" featuring Iga as a guest.
>> Click here for Listening Museum #3
>See the artists' works and their creative process
Click here for products that use this artist's art
In this photo, Iga-san shows us a lovely smile as her item becomes a product for the first time. Please take a look at her other items as well.
