Toshifumi Hirose (born 1971 in Gifu, presently Tokai Gakuin University associate professor) spent 7 years in Germany, and after returning to Japan, has continued to create both two- and three-dimensional artwork with various media.

Hirose feels a profound connection to the philosophy of Walter Gropius, founder of the Bauhaus. According to Gropius, nature and art are fundamentally opposing forces. “We do not adapt to nature, but we fight it. This is how we can feel like we belong in a part of the infinite universe. Then, new communities can emerge. This idea was remarkably different from the contemporary anthropocentric philosophies in Europe. The interaction between the individual and the whole embedded there parallels Buddhist philosophies of the east, and resonates with me the most”, Hirose says. Thus, for him, architectural elements become tools for understanding one’s place in the world.

His work revolves around architectural elements. Within the field of “architecture” a crucial aspect for Hirose is the act of building, or “bau” in German. “Bau” simultaneously embodies the potential for indefinite expansion, as well as the possibility of demolition to zero. Through contrasting these conflicting directions, Hirose conjures dynamic pieces.

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