Meet our youngest collector, Felix, aged 12, who purchased one of Ikuko Iwamoto’s exquisite Sea Urchin vessels at our last show. Felix paid for the piece in two installments from his own savings, it was his first ever fine art purchase.
Curious as to what makes a 12 year old part with his hard earned cash, Cavaliero Finn interviewed him about his love of Japan, Sea Urchins and Art.
What started your obsession with Japan?
I liked Japan first when I went to the Victoria & Albert Museum and saw a set of Samurai armour in their collection and from then on it has become my favourite country. I like the culture and the Studio Ghibli and anime and I think it’s an all round good place to live and I would like to live there one day.
Have you tried Japanese food?
Yes for a week or so my family did a Japanese food trial using a Yo Sushi book trying all the recipes which was fun and I have been to a number of Sushi restaurants.
Did you like the ceramic before you found out Ikuko was Japanese or after?
I think at first I really liked it because it’s quite unique and it’s a sea urchin. I went to Minorca once and when I was scuba diving I got to hold one so I have always liked sea urchins which is why I liked it initially. When I found out the artist was Japanese I liked it even more, I guess.
What does it make you feel like buying a piece of art?
I guess it’s a new thing and a new goal. I have spent my money on something that I think is of worth and not wasted it.
Do you think you might collect more?
Yes the first piece is only the beginning…
By this particular artist?
Yes as I really like all of her designs and I think they are intricate and well made.
Have you been to any exhibitions recently that have made you think or that you have learnt something from?
Yes I went to this exhibition by a Chinese artist called Ai Weiwei at the Royal Academy. I thought he was excellent and from that moment on I felt differently towards art. I went to that exhibition twice!
What was your favourite piece in that show?
There was a piece which was quite small, about maybe half a metre which was made of jigsaw puzzles with green, pink and yellow designs on them and a Chinese symbol in the middle and then when all of it fitted together it made the Chinese flag. There was another one where he made an installation using lots of wood made out of stools which he put all together. At first glance it looked like a maze of wood but if you had an eagle eye vision from above you would see that it’s a map of China and the small stool next to it is an island off China.
Can you believe that China has a different kind of freedom than we have in this country?
The artist said that one of his main issues was that under communist leadership in China he didn’t have much freedom and he was very annoyed about it.
And he’s an example of how art can inform the world
Yes he got arrested for eighty days and had two people watching him for every hour of the day just because of his art and how it affected the communists.
