SOU: Beyond the Constraints of Design to Pure Artistic Freedom
With a background as a spatial designer and a fervent desire to escape the limitations imposed by client demands, SOU (Yuji Ito) ventured into the world of visual art with the aim of achieving an unrestricted creative journey. Born in 1966, SOU spent two decades designing stores and residential spaces, establishing his own firm in 2000. While he excelled in bringing clients’ visions to life, by 2020, he felt a growing need for complete artistic freedom—a desire to create art beyond the constraints of budgets and client tastes. He made a bold decision to leave his successful career behind and fully pursue painting in 2021, focusing entirely on art unbound by traditional expectations. His early exhibitions spanned continents, showcasing digital works in Italy and Spain in 2022, alongside his original piece “Beyond the Line” in Milan. This inaugural showcase was a profound pivot from his previous work, as SOU found his authentic expression in abstract and intuitive landscapes.
In his early exhibitions, SOU aimed to connect with universal themes and invoke shared human experiences, drawing on a visual language cultivated over years in design. For SOU, spatial design was more than a job—it was a precursor that helped hone his artistic instincts and tactile understanding of space, texture, and form. This background provided him with an unparalleled technical mastery, which he now channels into his work as an artist, infusing each piece with a sense of structure even as he explores new realms of abstract expression. His rapid ascent into the global art scene reflects his commitment to this newfound path, with exhibitions across Japan, Dubai, Rome, Venice, and Barcelona marking his swift evolution into an internationally recognized artist.
SOU: Visualizing Inner Landscapes Through Intuition
SOU’s artistic approach centers on capturing and visualizing the “landscape within.” Rather than meticulously planning his compositions, he embraces spontaneity, allowing colors and forms to emerge organically on the canvas. For SOU, art is not an intellectual exercise but an act of pure intuition, a dance between mind and body that frees him from preconceived ideas. The creative process begins as an intentional act, yet quickly shifts to something almost automatic, where he becomes a channel for unspoken emotions and imagery. This flow, as SOU describes it, is a release of accumulated impressions, memories, and sensations that have become imprinted on his psyche. He captures feelings that words fail to convey, using colors and shapes as his primary language to communicate universally resonant themes.
The landscapes SOU creates are meant to tap into something deeply familiar, even archetypal, in the viewer. He describes the moment of recognition his audiences often experience, as though they’ve encountered a long-forgotten scene or memory upon viewing his work. SOU believes that these landscapes reside within each person; his paintings merely provide a mirror that reveals them. To him, the imagery and colors are personal yet universal, hinting at a shared human experience. The freedom he finds in this process echoes his journey from structured design to uninhibited creation, where he no longer serves as a vessel for others’ visions but instead brings forth a collective consciousness embedded in his own internal landscape.
The Art of Layers: Materials and Techniques as an Expression of Life
Working from his Sapporo studio, SOU’s process of layering materials mirrors the layered complexities of human experience. His workspace reflects his technical rigor from design days, equipped with expansive tables and carefully selected materials. He applies various textures and pigments in layers, using acrylics, plaster, imported pigments, and resins to build dimensional and abstract surfaces. This approach allows SOU to create works that transcend traditional flatness, making each canvas a tactile experience. The overlapping colors, textures, and forms in his paintings are not pre-planned; instead, they emerge as he relinquishes control to intuition, guiding his movements and decisions. This methodology differs drastically from his prior role as a spatial designer, where calculated precision was paramount. Now, his layers and textures flow freely, much like memories and emotions intertwine and reemerge over time.
In crafting his abstracts, SOU draws not from specific motifs or representational forms but from impressions and life memories, giving his art a deeply personal resonance. His ability to convey emotional landscapes without definitive shapes speaks to his belief in abstract art’s power to communicate universally. Each work serves as a bridge between the tactile and emotional, grounded in the hands-on methods he refined during his years in design. When faced with creative blocks, SOU seeks inspiration in nature and trusted companionship, finding renewal in simple pleasures that clear his mind and pave the way for fresh insights. His creative philosophy embodies a balance of letting go and engaging with life—a combination of rigorous technique and unrestrained spontaneity.
SOU: Influences and Dreams Beyond Boundaries
SOU’s early artistic influences stem from his love of expression across various media. He was drawn to music, poetry, and the art of fashion, with his mother’s work as a dressmaker leaving an indelible mark on his sense of artistry. Although SOU does not cite specific influences for his abstract style, he reveres Van Gogh, whose life and work embody the deeply human aspect of art. From his initial encounter with Van Gogh’s sunflowers to visiting the painter’s resting place, SOU’s connection to Van Gogh reinforced his own artistic aspirations. Seeing Van Gogh’s creations up close stirred a recognition in SOU of the humanity shared between artist and audience—a sentiment he strives to evoke in his viewers. Like Van Gogh, SOU sees art as a way to capture life’s raw, unfiltered beauty and the inexpressible elements of the human experience.
Looking forward, SOU’s ambition takes him to new heights as he prepares for a solo exhibition in Manhattan, planned for May 2026. To build anticipation and momentum, he will exhibit at prominent international venues, including the New York Art Expo and Spectrum Miami in 2025. Each exhibition not only allows him to refine his vision but also brings him closer to an audience eager for meaningful, boundary-transcending art. His journey toward this Manhattan showcase reflects a dream years in the making—a quest for validation and fulfillment as a Japanese artist on the global stage.
In his drive to manifest art that resonates beyond cultures, SOU believes that viewers from any background can connect with his work, recognizing in his painted landscapes reflections of their inner selves. Through his evolving portfolio, SOU hopes to continue creating pieces that evoke a sense of familiarity and wonder, bridging divides through art that speaks to the universal, unspoken parts of the human experience. His work stands as a testament to the power of personal transformation and the beauty found when an artist allows life itself to become the ultimate muse.
