ARTIST STATEMENT

Hikikomori (hee-kee-koh-MOH-ree) is a severe form of social withdrawal in individuals who choose to isolate themselves at home for prolonged periods: at least six months by definition. Although, in the most severe cases, the individual will spend several years alone in their rooms. This phenomenon is not a mental illness but a social issue. The word hikikomori is a term used for both the situation and the individuals themselves. Hikikomori were first observed in Japan in the early 2000s and thought to be a culture-bound syndrome, but many worldwide have found themselves living in extreme seclusion. Various reasons could make someone want to live this way, such as feeling rejected by society or feeling unsuccessful. The cost of living, high college tuition, and rising competition in the job market have made it harder for a generation of young people to leave their homes to start their adult life. Those pressures, along with personal issues, can drive one to become severely reclusive.

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I chose hikikomori as my subject to bring awareness to social withdrawal in the west. A quick internet search for ‘western hikikomori’ will turn up results for online communities of people who self-identify with the term. Many in these online communities talk about being rejected in some way socially, leading them to drop out of school and work, eventually containing themselves in their rooms for years. I have watched a few of my friends become hikikomori. When wanting to come out of their secluded lifestyle, they struggled with integrating themselves back into society as a result. It is essential to talk about these young people who are shutting themselves away, especially during a time like the coronavirus outbreak that has forced many young adults back into living with relatives. It is a situation that may push many ‘would-be’ hikikomori into maintaining a permanent ‘stay-at-home’ lifestyle. I feel strongly that this phenomenon needs to be recognized globally—because it is not just a problem unique to Japan at this point. By talking about severe social withdrawal, we can try to understand the issues coming from these individuals and help comfortably integrate them back into society if they so choose. Additionally, we can prevent cases like this from happening by reaching out to those we feel are struggling to feel socially accepted. 

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Through my paintings, I convey the complexity of a hikikomori situation through both realism and distortion. I detach my style from total realism to reflect the distortion of reality that can occur when we are isolated for prolonged periods. A hikikomori’s average day may be spent with their hobbies, indoor jobs, or browsing the internet. This was important to consider when creating the imagery for my paintings. I look at the figures in my series of paintings as people who are battling negative feelings towards themselves and those around them; they become stuck in repetitive routines and thoughts. This is what I observed when I watched documentaries and researched the topic further. I first came up with sketches influenced by my memories of these friends and accounts from others who have gone through this. These sketches were very loose and imaginative, with no absolute focus on trying to be realistic. I then recreated those scenes through photography for reference. I finally ended up with a version of both the abstract and realistic combined. I chose 16x20″ canvases for all four of my paintings because I felt it was the best size to display the intimate view of my figures. I imagined it was as if the canvas were a window that would allow you to gaze into someone’s most private world—a place where they can show our true feelings.