The Japanese artist Simsa Cho, a pseudonym of Shinji Kasema, studied from 1982 until1 986 at the Tama Art University in Tokyo, and from 1986 until 1989 at the Gerrit Rietveld Academy, Amsterdam (NL). From the 1990’s, he was awarded several scholarships from the Dutch Foundation for Art, Design and Architecture. His work is included in international public collections.
Simsa’s early work reflects his Japanese roots with images form Japanese mythology of dragons and gods. At the same time, he started to work on a series of shoes, which are a constant theme throughout his carrier as a glass artist. Shoes have become a theme for him that makes it easier for him to talk about himself. And meanwhile, they have also become a kind of diary for him.
After his graduation, the first works were a combination of glass with other materials such as epoxy, wood and pigment for coloration. The work reflected his Japanese background and consisted of an iconography with Japanese influences. It was shown at The In Art Gallery in Amsterdam (NL). In an show in 1988, his series Shoerealism was presented in Gallery Jolly, Amsterdam (NL). The combination of glass with other materials is a recurring theme in his work.
“I love shoes. That’s where it starts. The shoe in itself has a certain beauty. Catching the full weight of a person, in one point, gives a composition of balance and beauty. And this pursuit of perfect balance, is also found in my other sculptures.” – Simsa
