Bio
Seitaku Tak Aoyama is a contemporary artist and conceptual painter who is self-taught. With a background in diverse business experiences, he explores unique expressions at the intersection of art, society, culture, and communication. Currently based in Catania, Sicily, Italy. He has lived in mainland America and Hawaii for about 20 years, gaining experience in different cultures and values.
Worked for a Korean global company in Japan. Then, to place myself in a wider world and broaden my experiences and perspective, I moved to the United States. When he first started living in America, he was fascinated by the potential of an art business that could be started with little capital, which led him to begin studying art self-taught. However, as he continued to create, his initial business perspective gradually faded, and he became deeply drawn to the infinite possibilities that art itself holds.
His works have been exhibited in various regions such as the United States, Hawaii, Canada, Mexico, Sicily, and Japan.
Furthermore, his long-standing interest in language and different cultures led him to notice significant disparities in the environment and resources surrounding art education depending on the region. In response to these challenges, he has shared his thoughts and ideas about art through presentations and workshops.
He also works as a consultant for building corporate organizations and organizing student sports teams and programs. He is involved in solving issues related to organizational communication and creating new concepts, providing support from both business and creativity perspectives.
Communication: Japanese, English, Italian, Korean, etc.
Artist Statement
Seitaku Tak Aoyama is a conceptual painter fascinated by the challenge of creating new connections and the emotions that emerge from them. For him, painting is like a "new visual language" that reconstructs existing meanings and concepts, connecting different people, things, times, places, and ideas.
For him, the research itself in his artwork is also a form of play. He breaks down existing things, recombines different elements, and explores their relationships. In this process, Seitaku touches upon infinitely expanding possibilities. By repeatedly experimenting while manipulating various variables such as time, place, materials, and situations, new relationships that were not previously visible emerge. For him, "playing" is a creative act for uncovering unknown possibilities.
Seitaku feels the strongest sense of "flow" in creations that combine fast-drying pigments with materials readily available in daily life. The immediacy and rapid changes of the materials resonate with the rhythm of his constantly shifting thoughts. At the same time, it reflects his approach of creating new value from familiar things, rather than pursuing rarity or excessive consumption.
Seitaku's creative process is not a straight line in one direction. He likens the development of his work to a swimming pool with multiple lanes. Each lane has a different swimming style and its own speed. While one expression comes to the fore, another sinks, and then resurfaces over time. Expressions with different speeds and rhythms coexist in parallel, influencing each other and repeatedly contracting and expanding.
For him, creation is not about reaching a single answer, but about creating a space where different possibilities continue to intersect.
Curriculum Vitae / 履歴
Awards, Exhibitions, Commissions
2026
– Towasu Art Group Show, Shinbashi Brewery, Tokyo, Japan
2024
– Towasu Art Group Show,SACS Shibuya, Tokyo, Japan
2023
– Evolve Conceptual Art Show, Tokyo Metropolitan Art Museum, Tokyo, Japan
2020
– Commuter bus art wrap (3 buses), Nakamura Niyaku Co. Ltd., Kanagawa, Japan
2019
– Lunch Time Art Show, Solo show at Super 5 restaurant, Omotesando, Tokyo, Japan
– Kaikon/ Unpacked, Solo exhibition at NOS, Ebisu, Tokyo, Japan
2018
– Ekolu Greenroom Art Festival, Three man show, Honolulu, Hawaii
– Greenroom Art Festival, Featured artist, Honolulu, Hawaii
– Art workshops: Guest artist/instructor, Zushi High School, Kanagawa, Japan
– Art workshops / Mural Commission at Liceo Leonardo High school, Sicily, Italy
2017
– Nake Residency , Permanent installation in founding collection,
Contemporary Art Museum of Sant’Alfio, Invitational, Sicily, Italy
– Zushi Art Festival, Headline Art piece for branding, Kanagawa, Japan
– Penke Bar Mural, Nagano, Japan
2016
–Public Art II, Leucadia, CA
–Residency, Girotondo, University of Ideas, Biella, Italy
–Solo exhibition, The Works, Tokyo, Japan
–Public Art I, Leucadia, CA
–Lily, Tokyo, Japan
–Fragments + Figures, Studio Five08 Gallery, Los Angeles, CA
2015
–Konton, Ayden Gallery, Vancouver, Canada
–Elevated Spaces, Sananda Gallery, Los Angeles, CA
–Art SpeakEasy, Pi Gallery, Los Angeles, CA
–Cannibal Flower Group Show, Astroetic Studios, Los Angeles, CA
–Hard, Exact Science Gallery, Los Angeles, CA
2014
–City Renovation Project/ Public Art Commission, Festival Tijuana Interzona, Tijuana, Mexico
–Scope+Moo Creativity Squared Competition Runner Up, Print exhibition at Scope, Miami, FL
–Bring Us Your Dead, Las Laguna Gallery, Laguna Beach, CA
–Grand Opening Show, Exact Science Gallery, Los Angeles, CA
–Public Art Commission, Leucadia, CA
–Hikari, Ayden Gallery, Vancouver, Canada
–The Bridge Between Us, 11:11 A Creative Collective, Tarzana, CA
2014
–Cannibal Flower Group Show, Think Tank Gallery, Los Angeles, CA
–Bright Ideas, The Gabba Gallery, Los Angeles, CA
–Featured Artist, Cannibal Flower Group Show, Garage Gallery, Los Angeles, CA
–Mirror Mirror, Ron Herman Cafe, Yokohama, Japan
–This is Happening, Pi Gallery, Los Angeles, CA
–Cannibal Flower Group Show, 1052 South Olive Gallery, Los Angeles, CA
–Surreal Salon Six, Juried by Juxtapoz Magazine
cofounder Greg Escalante, Baton Rouge Gallery, Louisiana
2013
–Art Workshops: Curriculum Creator & Instructor , Wirtz Elementary School, Los Angeles, CA
–Mural, La Calaca Festival, San Miguel de Allende, Mexico
–Cannibal Flower 13th Anniversary Show, Main Room, Graffiti House, Los Angeles, CA
–Sound & Vision, Venice Grind Gallery, Los Angeles, CA
–A Frozen Fire, Studio Five08, Santa Monica, CA
–Cannibal Flower Group Show, 1052 S. Olive Gallery, Los Angeles, CA
–Cannibal Flower Group Show, The Gabba Gallery, Los Angeles, CA
–Fashion Display Commission, Estnation, Roppongi Hills, Tokyo, Japan
–Cannon Gallery Biennial, Juried Show, Cannon Gallery, Carlsbad, CA
2012
–Cannibal Flower Group Show, Think Tank Gallery, Los Angeles, CA
–Commission (4 panel series), Trattoria M’s, Kamata, Tokyo, Japan
–Mural Commission Winner, Rag & Bone, Houston St., New York, NY
–Super Cinq Solo Show, Omotesando, Tokyo, Japan
–Exhibiting Artist, Greenroom Festival, Yokohama, Japan
–Art Instructor & Group Exhibition, Wirtz Elementary School, Los Angeles, CA
–Mural Commission, Wirtz Elementary School, Los Angeles, CA2011
–Mural Commission, Super Cinq, Omotesando, Tokyo, Japan
–Two Man Show, The LinkSoul Lab, San Diego, CA
–Live Painting, Sacred Craft Expo, San Diego, CA
–Cardiff Collaborative 2 – Group Show, Green Flash Gallery, San Diego, CA
–New Wave – Group Show, Green Flash Gallery, San Diego, CA
2010
–Spring Fling – Group Show, Surface Art and Culture, San Diego, CA
2008
–ASR Trade Show Entry Group Show, San Diego Convention Center, San Diego, CA
–Random Acts of Art Winner, sponsored by Rusty, Scion, 94.9FM
Collaborations, Press, Education, Residency Program etc
SELECT COLLABORATIONS
2011 Enjoy Handplanes
2009 Rob Machado / Hurley / Cardiff 101 Main Street
PUBLICATIONS, REVIEWS, PRESS
2014
–The Coast News, Cagala, Tony: “Utility boxes get artists’ touches,” November 10.
–The Bicycle Review, Poetry & Prose Magazine, Issue #30,
featuring images of 25 paintings by Seitaku Aoyama, October 15.
–The Source Newspaper, Su, Dong Yuk: “Japanese artists bring light to underground art,” September 16.
2013
–Artist of the Day, Artistaday.com
–Artist of the Month, Theartlist.com
2012
–Arts Observer: “New Rag & Bone Mural Features Beautiful Bovines by TAK,” September 15.
–Blue Magazine JAPAN, July issue
2011
–Lewis, Edward: “Tak + Enjoy,” Handplanes, June 1.
–Blue Magazine JAPAN, May issue, cover & pg. 44.
–Strategy, Johnny: “Japan Affluence Circulation System,” Spoon and Tamago, April 13.
Education
2001 Industrial Design Studio . California State University Long Beach
1999 Fine Art & Technical Drafting Studios. Citrus College, Glendora, CA
1996 Bachelors of Arts, Rikkyo University, Tokyo Japan
RELATED PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
2020 to present, Artist / Corporate communication specialist/ Internal consultant at Nakamura Logistics Inc.
2008 to present, Studio Aiuto Design & Marketing, owner & artist
2007 Creata Japan, Senior Brand Account Executive
2006 CrissCross Japan, Marketing Account Executive
2000 to 2006, Freelance Designer
RESIDENCY PROGRAM
2016
–”Girotondo” Program, University of Ideas, Biella, Italy
Group research activity on a concept of circularity
