野島佑隆是1995年出生的日本新銳插畫藝術家，以鮮豔的色彩和豐富的符號語言著稱。他的創作核心圍繞「悲喜劇（TRAGICOMEDY）」一詞。他認為人生有開心的事，必然也有悲傷的事，好壞交織才是真實人生樣貌。他的作品無論悲歡喜樂都以鮮豔用色為基調，詼諧地運用符號傳遞世界觀與人生哲理，構築出一個充滿故事與情感的平行時空。無論是起司、花朵，還是投票傳單與和平標誌，還是影響他至深的電影、歌曲、書本，每一處的線索，都巧妙地融合在他的畫作中，形成獨特的視覺語言，吸引觀者深入探索其中的內涵。
Yutaka Nojima, born in 1995, is a rising Japanese illustrator renowned for his vibrant colors and rich symbolic language. At the core of his work lies the concept of “tragicomedy,” reflecting his belief that life is a blend of joyful and sorrowful moments, and that the intertwining of good and bad truly represents the essence of human experience. His artworks consistently use bright hues as a foundation, humorously employing symbols to convey his worldview and philosophical reflections on life, creating a parallel universe full of stories and emotions. Whether it’s cheese, flowers, voting flyers, peace signs, or the deeply influential films, songs, and books that inspire him, every clue is skillfully integrated into his illustrations, forming a unique visual language that invites viewers to delve deeply into their meanings.
野島佑隆的創作靈感深受1960至1990年代西洋音樂和唱片設計的影響，尤其是披頭四、滾石樂隊和鮑勃·迪倫等搖滾和藍調音樂。他從音樂中感受到愛與理想的多樣質地，也藉由音樂歌詞探討社會議題和人生百態。此外，他畢業於著名的桑澤設計研究所，是一所歷史悠久、擅長培養學生創作及應用能力的學府，旨在啟發學生設計的原動力。早年在唱片行工作時，周遭環繞的黑膠唱片封面設計啟發了他對構圖和色彩的獨特理解，使他形成了鮮明的美式畫風和豐富的視覺節奏。
Yutaka Nojima’s creative inspiration is deeply influenced by Western music and album design from the 1960s to the 1990s, particularly the rock and blues genres embodied by iconic artists such as The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, and Bob Dylan. He draws from the diverse textures of love and ideals found in music, using lyrics as a lens to explore social issues and the complexities of human life. Additionally, Nojima graduated from the prestigious Kuwasawa Design School, a historic institution renowned for nurturing students’ creative and applied skills, with a mission to ignite the driving force behind design. Early in his career, while working at a record store, he was surrounded by vinyl album cover art that profoundly shaped his unique understanding of composition and color, leading him to develop a distinctive American-inspired style characterized by vibrant palettes and rich visual rhythms.
他的作品帶有美漫特色平易近人，雖然訴說著愛與和平這些宏大的理念，卻不會抽象深澀，畫面及用色有著明亮的特質，故事深入淺出，是可以放在小孩子房間的畫作。縱使如此，他筆下的世界有喜亦有悲，正如每個人的日常生活一樣，但不必執著於正面或負面的情緒，接受這種人生的複雜性，他希望觀者能夠在藝術當中找到積極的力量。他認為：“「悲喜劇」是我作品的核心，然而，這樣的內容難免會存在一些黑暗面與沈重，因此創作初期的用色的確不那麼鮮豔，即使畫完會獲得開心，卻也只是自我滿足，便讓我開始思考如何好好把理念傳達給觀者。”
His works feature an approachable style reminiscent of American comics. Although they convey grand themes such as love and peace, they avoid abstraction or obscurity. The bright colors and clear storytelling make his illustrations suitable even for a child’s room. Yet, within his vibrant world lies both joy and sorrow, reflecting everyday life’s complexities. He encourages viewers not to cling solely to positive or negative emotions but to embrace life’s nuances and find strength through art. He explains, “‘Tragicomedy’ is the core of my work. Naturally, such themes carry some darkness and weight, so my initial color choices were less vivid. Even though finishing a piece brought me joy, it felt like mere self-satisfaction, which led me to consider how to better communicate my ideas to the audience.”
他的標誌性符號是一塊切開的芝士「BIG CHEESE」，除了希望以微笑來面對生活，俯視下去也是一個和平符號，芝士的高低大小不同，正如這個充滿不同與異見的世界，這個設計突顯出他細膩的心思以及柔和地表達訊息的手法，至於「Peace Piece」這個概念則來自爵士樂手Bill Evans的樂曲名稱。
His signature symbol is a sliced piece of cheese called the “BIG CHEESE.” Beyond representing a smile to face life positively, when viewed from above, it also forms a peace sign. The varying heights and sizes of the cheese slices reflect the diversity and differing opinions in our world. This design highlights his thoughtful approach and his gentle way of conveying messages. The concept of “Peace Piece” is inspired by the jazz musician Bill Evans’ composition.
作品《COME TOGETHER!!》靈感來源於1969年著名的伍德斯托克音樂節（Woodstock Music & Art Fair），野島將其設定在月球上，描繪已故音樂家們在天堂繼續用音樂傳遞愛與希望。畫面右上角借用經典遊戲《太空侵略者》（Space Invaders）的元素，表達對政治家的批判與對年輕一代的期許，鼓勵大家積極參與投票。作品整體色彩鮮明，構圖緊湊，融合了音樂、政治與人生哲學，體現了野島對世界的獨特觀察和藝術表達。
Take, for example, his work COME TOGETHER!!, which draws inspiration from the iconic 1969 Woodstock Music & Art Fair. Nojima sets the scene on the moon, depicting deceased musicians continuing to spread love and hope through music in the afterlife. The upper right corner incorporates elements from the classic game Space Invaders, symbolizing criticism of politicians and expressing hopes for the younger generation, encouraging active participation in voting. The piece features vivid colors and a compact composition, blending music, politics, and life philosophy, showcasing Nojima’s unique perspective and artistic expression of the world.
《AND I LEAVE THE CITY》，這幅畫蘊藏著許多不同的情緒，但共同主題是「畢業」，講述人生存在各種關係的畢業，從少年的成長，相愛的戀人，職場的轉換，離鄉的闖蕩，家庭的聚合，到年老逝去⋯⋯每一個轉變的時機都是生命的更新，結束與重生是一體兩面的事，他在消化與處理情緒的過程耗費了不少心力。
Another work, AND I LEAVE THE CITY, embodies a range of emotions centered around the theme of “graduation.” It narrates the various farewells in life—from a youth’s growth, lovers parting, career changes, leaving one’s hometown, family reunions, to aging and passing away. Each transition marks a renewal of life; endings and beginnings are two sides of the same coin. Nojima invested considerable emotional energy in processing and expressing these feelings.
在藝術家的身分之外，他除了興趣所致的打工，也曾為創立於90年代日本澀谷系音樂代表性名字之一Sunny Day Service的演唱會設計主視覺，操刀「OTHER MUSIC」紀錄片日本版海報，還有做雜誌、電影及書籍等的合作及設計工作。他的作品展現出一位未到30的年輕人所擁有的超齡視角，他經歷過對社會的質疑、反思，藉著音樂教曉他忠實地表達自己，以雙手去捍衛心中所愛，一步步成為了他的創作養分。
Beyond his identity as an artist, Nojima has engaged in various creative projects driven by personal interest. He designed the main visual for the concert of Sunny Day Service, a representative band of Japan’s 1990s Shibuya-kei music scene, created the Japanese poster for the documentary OTHER MUSIC, and collaborated on magazine, film, and book designs. His work reveals a mature perspective beyond his years—though under 30, he has experienced social questioning and reflection. Music taught him to express himself authentically and defend what he loves with his own hands, gradually becoming the wellspring of his creative energy.
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Photo courtesy of the artist Yutaka Nojima