Dialogue - Haiiro Ookami + Flower Shop Nishibeppu Shoten -

Early childhood experiences

Nishibeppu was born and raised in Kagoshima Prefecture, and from an early age he loved making things from natural materials, influenced by his grandfather. He was greatly influenced by the mysterious world of plants and the use of color depicted in Ghibli films, and he says he wanted to "live in a dreamlike world," so he experimented with creating things in his own room.

"Looking back, I was a complete mess back then. I made towers out of cigarette butts, or stuck coffee beans to a door so that they would all fall out every time the door was opened and closed. Unconstrained by existing rules, he followed his curiosity and created things from his student days.

At the same time, Nishibeppu became interested in the fashion world through street snaps in magazines, and after moving to Tokyo to study fashion, he spent busy days working as an assistant to a stylist.

During a time when she was mentally exhausted, she found a flower shop that was looking for staff. Her encounter with the owner there became a big turning point for her. Looking back, she recalls that the owner guided her to create her own works in an environment surrounded by flowers sourced from all over the world.

However, she says she continued to have to clean for about three years after she started working there.

Nishibeppu : The better I get at cleaning, the more beautifully I can arrange flowers. No matter how beautiful the flowers I buy, I can't arrange them beautifully unless I have a perspective from my private life. I think now that by continuing to clean, I have been able to develop a perspective that is different from other people.

See it through to the end without any foundation

The restaurant's memorable name, "The Green Wolf," is said to have been taken from the Russian folk tale "Tsarevich Ivan and the Green Wolf."

"I went to a vocational school for interior design, and I would go to antique markets looking for Japanese chests to use in competitions; I've always loved old things," he said. After graduating, he worked as an architect at an architectural design office, and then in July 2011, Sato opened his own store, "Hiiro Okami," in Omotesando.

At that time, Nishibeppu-san was working nearby, so we naturally became closer as we visited each other's stores. Because of our mutual compatibility in terms of our sensibilities and the items we chose, it was a natural progression for Nishibeppu-san's exhibition to be the first one to be held at "Hiiro Okami."

Sato : We were both just starting out, and we just wanted to get something going. At the time, we had no knowledge about exhibitions, and we held the exhibition in about two weeks, including direct mail photography. We didn't use any reference material to structure the exhibition, and we saw it through to the end without any prior knowledge. Although not many customers visited our first exhibition, it felt really good. This was a turning point, and as we continued to work as a unit at events and exhibitions, we decided, "If that's the case, let's open a store together," and in February 2014, our current store took shape.

Naturally distorted shapes are also acceptable as part of the expression of the work.

The opposing elements of antiques and fresh flowers coexist at "Haiiiro Ookami + Flower Shop Nishibeppu Shoten." The two of them do not have any set rules or a clearly shared concept for the store.

"What we both had in common was that, rather than wanting to sell things, we wanted people to experience the world view that we expressed.We don't share the same desire to do things, but I feel like we have similar things that we dislike," says Sato.

When you visit a space where the opposing elements of antiques and fresh flowers coexist, you will be greeted by a landscape that enriches the senses, including the scents and sounds that waft through the air. At what moment do you come up with the idea to create works that embody curiosity and freedom, such as the work on display this time, "Small Light in the Forest," and the "Small..." series, each of which is accompanied by a short story?

Nishibeppu : Sometimes I think about it when I'm talking with Sato, and encounters with plants (materials) are a big factor. I was impressed by the insect holes in a leaf I found on the road, and I'm always thinking about my work. Rather than an idea popping into my head in an instant, I often start by wondering what would happen if I exposed it to light, and then I proceed by constantly moving my hands experimentally.

Sato : Many of the things Nishibeppu creates come from outside of my own sensibilities, and I would like to share such things and continue creating them.

Good works have the power to change our daily lives

Nishibeppu's first exhibition at Utsushiki was also held. This was his third exhibition, and more than 90 pieces of his new work, "Small Lights in the Forest," were on display. The space was lit up with countless plant lights, creating a scene never seen before at Utsushiki. "Small Lights in the Forest," which seems to condense the life force of plants, makes everyday life a little more luxurious.

Nishibeppu : I wanted to create a dream world with the lighting in the space dimmed and lit only by the lights of the plants. I think this exhibition was possible because of the location "Utsushiki", and I would like to continue creating dream worlds that have never been seen before.