Contemporary artist Miwa Komatsu and GLAY vocalist and the painter TERU where two creators representing different expressive domains yet both defining their era converging in Hakodate, Hokkaido.

A special dialogue session was held in conjunction with the exhibition "Sacred Nexus: Resonating with Cosmos" currently on display at Hakodate Museum of Art, Hokkaido. From their first meeting to profound philosophical discussions about their work, the influence of place on creativity, and visions for the future—we explore the essence of their conversation by theme.

Two Resonant Voices: Behind the Audio Guide Production

Hakodate Museum of Art Exhibition View

The two met through a mutual acquaintance. Their connection began when TERU was invited to participate in the Taipei Lantern Festival a year after Komatsu had been involved in the same event in 2024. Komatsu confesses she was initially nervous: "I thought I'd be less anxious if I approached it as meeting 'TERU the painter' rather than 'TERU from GLAY.'" She was immediately drawn to TERU's sincere approach to art by arriving before anyone else at meetings, eager to absorb the artistic environment. TERU smiled modestly, joking that he's "just impatient."

TERU

TERU, who served as the audio guide narrator for the current exhibition, approached the project with characteristic dedication. Having always wanted to do voice work beyond singing, he visited four museums after accepting the offer to research what tone would work best. The recording took place at his personal studio in Hakodate, using the same environment where GLAY records their music creating a truly "Made in Hokkaido" audio guide.

In a telling anecdote revealing TERU's integrity, it was shared that he paid for and borrowed an audio guide at a Sapporo exhibition like any other visitor.

Hakodate: Where the Sea and Mountains Harmoniously Blend

Miwa Komatsu

For Komatsu, Hakodate provides unique inspiration. "It's rare to find a place where sea and mountain elements are plentiful and blend together so gently," she praises the region's distinctively balanced natural environment. She suggests that the proximity of sea and mountains, with human habitation cutting through the middle and intermingling with nature, creates a particularly influential environment for artists.

TERU, a Hakodate native, also speaks to the profound impact his hometown has on his creative process. Having built a studio in Hakodate allows him to create music in a more relaxed time flow, contrasting with the stoic musical production process in Tokyo. "The visual information you receive is different," he explains. "In Tokyo, you see gray buildings, but in Hakodate, it's blue and green. Your mind is soothed by the information you take in."

Creating Art When Called by the Land

Hakodate Museum of Art Exhibition View

"I always feel that you can't visit a place unless you're called to it," Komatsu says of her deep relationship with the place and artistic activity.

Her current exhibition in Hokkaido came about through what feels like fateful timing. Approximately three months before being approached about the exhibition, Komatsu had participated in a memorial ceremony for extinct species organized by Ainu people. There, she was deeply moved by the story of the Ezo wolf's extinction. "This must be a sign that someday I'll have the opportunity to exhibit this work in Hokkaido," she intuited. Just three months later, offers for exhibitions in Sapporo and Hakodate arrived. This led to the creation of a series of works featuring the Ezo wolf as a motif related to Hokkaido.

Surrendering the Ego to Receive the Land's Energy

Pre-live painting scene at Sapporo Art Park

The influence of place is also immeasurable in Komatsu's live painting. She describes her approach as "connecting with the land, expressing gratitude to it, and painting in a state of deep meditation." She explains that "one needs to discard the ego as much as possible." When her concentration deepens, "something like a mini-theater appears, and I output what naturally flows through it." TERU attended her live painting in Sapporo.

TERU expressed deep resonance with this, comparing it to his own musical creation process—"how to materialize the melodies that flow into my mind." Though their forms of expression differ, both artists share the fundamental experience of receiving something invisible and manifesting it in the world.

Obsidian: Connecting Eras and Places

Hakodate Museum of Art Exhibition View

The installation pieces using obsidian are also closely tied to the land and strongly reflect Komatsu's creative philosophy of "Great Harmonization."

After World War II, the world entered what is known as the "Great Acceleration", a period focused on material prosperity. However, Komatsu argues that "we need to move away from material attachments and place more value on spiritual aspects," advocating for a transition to an era of "Great Harmonization."

This philosophy is embodied in her work using obsidian from Engaru Town in Hokkaido and Hoshikuzutouge in Nagano Prefecture. According to archaeologists, these two regions were connected through obsidian trade during the Paleolithic and Jomon periods. While obsidian can be fashioned into sharp, deadly weapons, the absence of evidence of large-scale warfare during the Jomon period suggests that people used these tools not for conflict but to protect their lives and establish peaceful networks of exchange.

Komatsu compares this to "something like the internet"that is a tool that can both help and harm. She poses a quiet yet fundamental question to viewers: How did the people of the Jomon period achieve the harmonious use of such tools, and why have we in the modern era lost this ability?

Hakodate Museum of Art Exhibition View

The Harmony of Land, People, and Art to the Future

Talk session scene

TERU, with his deep affection for his hometown of Hakodate, is now nurturing grand aspirations to energize the city through art. His vision includes organizing a triennial art festival three years from now. What's remarkable is TERU's proactive approach where he personally visits universities, museums, and other relevant institutions to negotiate directly. His passionate and dedicated attitude has attracted many supporters, and Komatsu expressed her desire to be part of this movement, stating, "Working with people who have such passion for art. It's not all coincidence, everything is connected."

From Hakodate to the world, the future these two artists envision is firmly connected to the potential of this place.

"Art changes through being seen by people and through dialogue," Komatsu's words suggest that artwork opens infinite possibilities when it extends beyond the museum space to engage with the city and its people.

Hakodate Museum of Art Exhibition View

An artist who fully absorbs the energy of the land, and an artist who loves that land and nurtures its future—might their encounter have sown new seeds of creativity in Hakodate? The day when land, people, and art harmonize beautifully to bear rich fruit seems near at hand.

HAKODATE MUSEUM OF ART. HOKKAIDO