Imagine a spherical mirror and visualize how it would reflect the surroundings. What Daisuke Samejima, a Japanese artist and painter, does is to reproduce the same on a spherical canvas with paint and a brush with such realism that it’s impossible to distinguish between the two! And it’s not only spherical canvasses he does but also irregular ones, in the form of kanji characters, etc.
Samejima has certainly found a unique way to enthrall his viewers. Most of his spherical and irregular canvasses depict suburban Japan with cheaply constructed homes, shops, and signages found in such localities. Along with the details, he even paints the exact reflection that such mirrors are supposed to give out!
Samejima works with acrylics with such expertise that his painstaking ultra-realistic works can easily be mistaken for photographs clicked by a 360-degree camera. His attention to detail is really astounding. Also remarkable is his rendering of kanji characters. Kanji characters, incidentally, are Chinese characters that are used in Japanese writing. The characters he works with were once actual signages that were part of Japan’s suburban landscape. He meticulously collects these from old shops.
Born in Hyogo, Japan, Samejima is currently based in Tokyo, Japan. His series of acrylic paintings, which he calls ‘Flatball’, is inspired by suburban surroundings. And such detailed is his work that allows the viewers to not only appreciate it but also take a walk through the neighborhood that’s depicted therein! The unique thing about his spherical paintings is they can be rotated to display a 360-degree panoramic view.
Samejima, a gifted artist, honed his skill by enrolling at Tama Art University in Tokyo, Japan. He not only majored in oil painting but also earned his Master’s Degree in Art Science. He also became a part-time lecturer at the same university.
Samejima’s unique work has brought him much recognition. His works have been displayed in many exhibitions and can be seen on Instagram and Twitter. He has won many awards too, such as Free Art Free 2001 FAF Prize; Tokyo Wonder Wall 2002 Grand Prize; Philip Morris Art Award 2002: The First Move; and many more.
Daisuke Samejima:
