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Date: July 8, 1996
Place: At her formative art school
This interview was done in the bright summer afternoon. Mr. Tsuzuki keeps presenting works as a formative artist, while she is busy teaching children, students and her juniors at schools. There are full of desires around her: “I want to make. I want to create. You have the same desire, don't you?” The seeds she sowed are budding and growing in various fields.
- What made you start using paper for your work?
 - The beginning was when I was invited to present my work to Imadate Modern Art Paper Exhibition held in Fukui Prefecture. Before that time, I was using wood and bamboo. I decided to use paper as a new material. At that time, Washi was too completed a material to me. So, for some years, I made works by looking for material which was something between paper and wood. I got processed materials for Washi at Paper Research Center in Kochi, or used original material made by mixing toilet paper with water and some glue.
Photo「Not now,but sometime,Not here,but somewhere」1995
What made you shift from paper as material to paper as finished product?
- It was a turning point from 1980's to 1990's. Both trends of the world and the world of art were drastically changing. The reason why I shifted was that I had a concrete idea about what I wanted to create. At first, I used high-quality paper, which was very excellent and just matched my image, but it was too expensive. Just then, through my friend, I came to know about paper made in Kochi, which was cheap and suitable for mass consumption. I've been using that paper for a long time. I have an impression that paper made of expensive and good material has dignity in it. However, the paper I use now is good enough, because it has strength and texture I seek for.
Don't you have a desire to make paper for yourself as you exactly want.
- To me, paper is nothing but a material to express my image. Fortunately, I have Tosa Washi, a very excellent material, around me and have a friend who supplies it. So, I don't feel much need to make one for myself. I guess artists who have needs to make paper for themselves may be interested in the process of papermaking.
Although I have started dyeing paper lately, the whiteness of Washi has variation. Every time I order Washi, the whiteness is slightly different. But, that's an interesting factor that I want to make use of in making my work. It is a good point of paper that it can be folded into a small size. Unlike cloth, the touch of paper is slightly similar to a sense of skin.
What about the theme of your work? I have an impression that evolution of seeds can be seen.
- I am a creature that makes things while living and die in due course. I express it by the phrase,“I am a seed.” The key words are“I am a seed. Everything starts from me.” Just like giving birth to a child as a living human being, I create works in order to live my own life. I feel very happy if the world of my works forms a different world from an actual one, and can influence other people in some ways. Even if the seeds I sowed don't remain in a concrete form of works, I can sow seeds in people by communicating with them while I'm living. Though what I can do is limited, it will be an important subject how I complete my life as I get older. So, I do think I should spend more time and energy on my works. Works are not only made but also presented publicly. So, if I don't hurry, I may lose all my passion for creating works. (Laughing)
Paper is a recyclable material. A sheet of paper is made from fibers of plants, and when it perishes, it returns to the earth as fertilizer to grow plants. Paper is not disposable. When I make my works surrounded by a lot of paper, I really feel I am taken in that big circulating circle.
In the process of making works, how does the distance between an artist and paper as material change?
- I don't think paper is so easy a material as it looks. After I have used it for years, I have an impression that it is a very tough material. First af all, in the case of making a formative work, it is difficult to keep paper erecting or to make it three-dimentinal without some objects which support paper. When I want to conceal the existence of supporting objects from view, it is very difficult to do so. Also, paper itself is a resistive material. Now I wrinkle thick paper into solt one before using, which requires me a lot of labor.
 I believe paper as a material for arts has a lot of possibilities. However, it is hard to make full use of it. It was not until these two or three years that I felt I came to use paper freely at my command. All the ways of using paper as modern art seem to have been tried out, while artists of craft and fiberwork don't seem to have any special ideas of using paper. Therefore, I have a strong desire to make full use of paper as material in such a way as nobody has tried before. However hard I try to make paper tense, it will become loose due to its weight or humidity in the air. If you regard this loosening not not as a weak point but as a character of paper, you can make forms with paper more easily. Though it is easiest to paste paper on supporting objects tightly, I would rather make use of sag and wrinkles of paper in forming works. I think I will use paper for the time being, because there is no gap between my style and the core of expression.
How do you think Kochi should offer paper to people in foreign countries who are very much interested in paper?
- Japanese paper shouldn't be offered to them as a foreign culture any more. In the year 1996 which is approaching the 21st century, I believe there is something more important than mere differences in regional senses among America, Europe, Africa, and Asia. There should be something that people want to express first, then the types of paper needed by them will be fixed accordingly. Every artist's problem is the world's problem. Standing on this point, if Kochi has a system in which papermakers can offer any type of paper in addition to the specific skills of papermaking, that will be a great backup.
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