My master’s teaching philosophy

My master's educational philosophy is unique

My master, Mr. Hibino is a contemporary artist, and I have been studying under him for over two and a half years. My master's educational philosophy is unique. First of all, he doesn't do anything unless he is asked. There is no set curriculum. Instead, he lets me do what I want to do. He answers all my questions, and if I ask, he will teach me what I want to know. And he actively gives me the experience I need to grow as an artist.

So, under my master, I have been able to do what I want to do. To this day, he has never forced me to do anything. The proof of this is that I have not inherited the "Holograms Collage" technique that he developed.

His educational approach may seem gentle. However, I think my master's educational policy is actually very strict. If there were specific instructions, following them would be okay and you would likely acquire a certain level of skill. But the master doesn't give specific instructions. In other words, unless you think for yourself and act, you won't learn anything.

Holograms Collage

Mr. Hibino said, "If you want to make a living as an artist, you have to think and act for yourself."I have been following my master for more than two and a half years now, and I am gradually beginning to understand the meaning of his words.
Art is a tough industry. One of the rules of art is that artists must always try new things, things that no one else has done before. Also, there are very few people who work professionally in art, and being an artist is not recognized as a profession in Japan. In other words, the moment you choose to be an artist, there is no guarantee of your future.

Even if you have talent, skill, or intelligence, it does not mean you can make a living as an artist. If you do not have the very basic ability to "think for yourself and act for yourself," you will not be able to survive as an artist in the tough industry of art. Because my master has been working in the arts for 35 years, he knows how tough the art industry is and has probably seen many people drop out. You must not forget that his current teaching methods are based on his own experience of the harshness of life as an artist.

Coercion does not foster creativity

Furthermore, there is something that my master often says. "Those who will do it will do it without saying  anything, and those who won't will not do it."
In the two and a half years I have followed my master, many people have approached him and then left him. My master treats everyone the same, so he never forces anyone to do anything, and he never gives advice without reason. Instead, if they ask for advice, he responds immediately.
However, no one who has approached the Master and asked for advice has ever listened to his advice. Over 99% of people listen to the Master's advice but don't put it into action. The more people ask for advice, the more likely they are to come up with a reason not to do it and not take action. So it seems that giving advice to someone who isn't motivated is pointless.

My master also says this. "If it's something you want to do, you will pursue it on your own, even if no one else tells you to. But if you do it reluctantly because someone tells you to, you'll only do what you're told. You can't make something good if you're forced to."
My master says that people who are engaged in "creation," not just in art, never force others to do something. That's because forcing yourself to do something won't make you good. My master respects the attitude of "pursuit." And he says that "pursuit" is not something you do because someone tells you to, but something you do independently.

In particular, in art, you have to keep trying new things and things that no one has done before. In other words, artists are required to have the ability to "pursue" new things on their own. "Pursuit" is something that only people who can think for themselves and take action can do.　
My master's educational policy of "not forcing anything" is based on the premise that you have to "think for yourself and act for yourself. "If he gave me detailed instructions every day, I would probably just do as I was told. I might not even think about pursuing art on my own.

A work by Hibino Takayuki. These pieces are Bizen ware.

"Ａ disciple is someone who surpasses his master."

The master also says he doesn't want his disciples to be colored by him. He
says, "I want my disciples to become independent quickly, and I think that disciples are people who surpass me." The master has a strong belief that "a disciple is someone who surpasses his master.

An interesting thing happened the other day. After returning from Hong Kong, I was working on a new piece, and when I showed my master the results, he was surprised. He said, "You drew this!?"
I was surprised by my master's reaction. Because I thought he would say, "You've gotten pretty good at it. Just as I expected," as if he knew everything about me. But he was genuinely surprised. At first I didn't understand the meaning of his reaction, but my master said he meant it as a compliment.
My master is pleased that I have produced a piece that he never imagined. This is because he believes that "my disciples are greater than me, the master."

This is my work. They are Japanese serows

However, it seems that his master's educational philosophy is unique even by global standards. So when I introduce myself overseas and say, "I'm Hibino's disciple," people sometimes don't understand what I mean. I can't explain the concept of "disciple" in English, so I usually call myself a "student."

But the other day at an art fair in Hong Kong, when I tried to explain to the person in charge that I was a "disciple," he understood properly. This is because the relationship between master and disciple has existed in China and Hong Kong since ancient times. In China and Hong Kong, craftsmen and people working in the arts used to learn from their masters, but nowadays it seems that there are fewer people who teach in this traditional way.
The Hong Kong representative also understood the difference between a teacher and a master. He said, "A teacher is just a teacher." He understood that Hibino was a master, not a teacher. He also said, "That's a good way of teaching."

I gaze at you

At first, I didn't understand the meaning of my master's educational policy. However, after I started to develop my art activities overseas and learned about the harshness of life as an artist, I finally began to understand what he meant little by little.
In preparation for writing this article, I spoke with my master, and when he said, "A student is a being that surpasses him," I felt a renewed sense of determination to continue my art activities.