Asami Shigemitsu and the importance of earnest creativity

This article is part of a collaboration with iQ by Intel .

Asami Shigemitsu is nothing if not enthusiastic about her art. A freelance video director and illustrator, Shigemitsu is a graduate of the Kyoto Seika University School of Design. She’s had success with creating commissioned illustrations for various organizations and directing a number of music videos for independent Japanese artists. She’s also a big fan of gaming and film, and finds them to be particularly influential on her work. Her directorial style relies heavily on strong color palettes, using bold monochromatic tones to give the visuals a striking look.

Using a variety of motifs and styles, Asami’s work often showcases contemporary Japanese culture, ranging from videos featuring panning shots of classic architecture to high-energy pop punk bands in quirky environments. Most importantly, her work gives exposure to artists and different aspects of Japanese youth culture others outside of Japan may not be aware of. These youth are often seen interacting with elements of traditional Japanese culture, blending them with modern music and performances, as seen in some of Asami’s more striking videos featuring artists dressed in traditional garb or posed in front of classic shrines.

It provides a glimpse into the ways people of a younger generation learn to identify

It provides a glimpse into the ways people of a younger generation learn to identify and embrace more classical elements of their culture while also exploring the integration of new ideas and influences, as is seen with the infusion of pop rock music and Asian music stylings.  As a successful artist, she’s very passionate about self-expression and inspiring other young Japanese people to pursue their creative impulses.

In a TEDx talk given earlier this year, Shigemitsu offered advice to young people looking to find new forms of self-expression. According to her, art is an extension of emotion, a way to express how, what, or why she feels things at certain times. This is her motivation to create; it helps her better understand her experience in the world.