Japanese sculptor Hiroyuki Asakawa said, “I communicate through stone; only through stone can we reach mutual understanding. Stone is like my child; I make it a sculpture because I wish it to be better.“ He had his first contact with stone sculpture when he was 25. Then for the following couple of years, he kept exploring and searching for what really appealed to him. He finally chose stone creation as his career after he had experienced what stone creation really was.
In 2003, he participated in his first stone sculpture symposium in Istanbul. His first creation was so impressive that he was more assured of his choice in stone sculpture. Doing stone creation is something comfortable to him because he does not have to particularly pursue the so-called feeling while creating a sculpture. That attitude in creation is the very feeling he wants.
He has always treated stone like his child because only our child do we treat selflessly. His attitude towards sculpture is the same as that towards his child for the sake of a better and perfect future for it, which accounts for his holding a paternal mentality for stone sculpture. As a matter of fact, he has a dream as well as a wish in stone sculpture. He wishes for people’s communications through stone sculpture. Only through communication can we reach mutual understanding. With understanding, we will have no more disputes; with the disputes gone, we will have a peaceful land forever.