Iron Sculptures: Imaginative Lines
Introduction by Keiko Fukai
Inaba Tomohiro’s signature technique of bending steel wires with heat and welding them together to create his sculptural forms began when he was a poor student. According to Inaba, it all started when he tried to use the iron strapping wire that bound the iron materials delivered to the university. Could they be used in his work?
From a distance, some parts of his sculptures look like they were made from a hammered sheet of iron, but these parts are made from iron wire that is densely welded together to form a flat surface.
The ”fading” parts of Inaba’s sculptures where the solid parts “disappear” into an open continuation of the sculptural forms are made only of the iron wire. This mysterious transformation sparks the imagination and allows each viewer to imagine their own stories of these sculptures. By using the motif of living creatures, such as horses, the relationship between the viewer and the work provides a more intimate connection to the work, and gives the viewer a feeling of excitement.
And the designs of each of these works are so beautiful one can easily be almost overwhelmed by the talent of this young sculptor.
My goal is to create “sculpture that connects with beholders through imagination”.
I believe one way art can thrive is to be an occasion to create “Contented Time”, that we can imagine something invisible. I always hope to create pieces that stimulate imaginations. I intentionally create “Blank Space” in my sculpture as my way to arouse beholders’’ imaginations. I believe this practice also helps myself to bring more and new imaginations into my work.
I have been working on a theme since 2007. In the beginning, I was inspired by some aspects of drawing: lines show their energy, flows and almost gravity-free extraordinary expressions. Then, my sculpture with bent iron wires expresses the process of change one form to another as if I were drawing something in the air. I also hope beholders can have images with story lines in passage of time.
Please let your imagination fly free with my work.