Masayoshi found artistic freedom in Sweden

"The Japanese are like Swedes. Like them, we are shy individuals. I suppose this makes the South Koreans the Danes, due to their slightly eccentric nature, while China is Finland, as they too are a proud and patriotic people."

It's not every day an interview is started off with a remapping of Asia.

Masayoshi Oya is a Ceramics student at the HDK School of Design and Crafts. While he may only have been in Gothenburg for two years, he has in fact lived in Sweden since 2007. Öland was were Masayoshi first set foot on Swedish soil, after being accepted into the Arts and Crafts School of ‘Capellagården'. When asked as to why he chose Sweden as the place to further his passion for art, he simply replied:

"I read about it in a Japanese magazine."

It's humorous in that a major decision in life can be made solely through an inspiring piece of literature. However, Masayoshi seems convinced that Sweden has delivered everything promised within that life changing article he read all those years ago.

"Sweden has granted me the freedom of artistic expression. Such attitudes and way of thinking were next to impossible back in Tokyo."

"Japanese ceramics obsess within the beauty of practicality. Simplicity is revered, and yet only being able to create tableware and vases starves me of my artistic personality."

While Masayoshi's craving for imagination within ceramics may well have been the driving force behind his cross-continental settlement, it seems the high pressures of life in Tokyo were also motivation to leave Japan.

"It was like being forced into the crowded machinery of Japanese society, in which I was expected to fit in and function."

"If I were still in Tokyo, I would have been expected to be married with children by now. Japanese culture is hugely built around the principles of tradition, and breaking such traditions is a difficult thing to do. Ceramics would have been nothing more than a hobby."

"Here in Sweden, life is completely different. Gender equality in Sweden has taken the huge Japanese burden of sole male responsibility off my shoulders. Men are not expected to be in charge of everything."

When asked whether there was anything else in Gothenburg that was very different to Masayoshi's home country, he exclaimed:

"The holidays! In Sweden there seems to be more days off than working ones. I would only have been expected to take three to four days of summer vacation in Japan, but here they practically thrust long weekends at you!"

While the increase of encouraged leisure in Sweden may well be what binds Masayoshi to Gothenburg, the idea of living anywhere else in Europe is completely out of the question.

"I like the Swedish lifestyle. Greater equality, a slower pace in life and the amount of governmental support which is offered to everyone makes Sweden a very difficult place to leave. The fast pace and stressful environment of Tokyo has left me with distaste for the big city life. Gothenburg is perfect because of its size, and intimate relationship with nature."

While most of what was promised in that fateful article lived up to Masayoshi's expectations, there was one aspect of Sweden which wasn't quite what he had expected.

"Swedish social circles are very difficult to get into, which can leave you feeling quite lonely from time to time. However, once you eventually do build up a social network with Swedes, they are fantastic people to interact with."

Masayoshi's future is by all means in Sweden. His ambitions to become a successful ceramics artist are high, and who can blame him when he has already sold his art at exhibitions in Gothenburg, Stockholm and even as far as Tokyo. It seems that he may well have finally been able to express his inner passion for art in Japan after all.

As a closing comment, the question put to Masayoshi was what Asian quality he would integrate into European society if he could.

"Cuisine." He responded promptly.

External link:
HDK School of Design