Hiraoka Junpei
Emotion Series; Complex, 2020

In Japanese the word “complex” is causally used to describe an inferiority complex or closeness. However, I am aware that in psychology, the term refers to certain types of impulses, desires, and attachments. I have titled my work Complex to reference both of these meanings. As an adolescent I attended an evening high school program in the outskirts of Tokyo, and there I felt the impacts of poverty and the imbalanced nature of Japanese society. I often thought about how and why societal systems exist and struggled with this reality. As an outlet to express these thoughts, I have drawn from my background in painting and ceramics and developed this body of work.