Ryuta Tomono

Ryuta Tomono’s work is an instant an eye-catcher, unlike anything seen before. The Japanese hair artist has carved a niche in the ever-changing industry, drawing inspiration from Greek mythology and architecture. This is hard to notice in his aesthetic-pleasing collection ‘Atlantis Mythology’ or’ Marqués de Riscal Hotel’. 

Tomono shares more with Hairblogstylist on his career in Japan, inspiration behind his work and more.

Kon-nichiwa Ryuta can you share with me a bit about your background and how you started into the hairdressing industry?

Kon-nichiwa, 😊 It started when I was 15 years old when I visited Tokyo. It was the first time I visited a top hair salon in Harajuku, named ‘MINX’, a favorite for young people in Japan and a shining place I’ve ever seen. I thought I’d jump into the dream. It was so magical because their high-standard hairdressing made all customers smile. And everything about it just blew my mind. It was amazing to me. So, I had that epiphany moment where I thought, “This is what I want to do. I not only want to be a hairdresser, but I want to be the BEST ONE.”

When was it clear to you that you were gifted and destined to become a hairstylist especially as an Hair Architect/ Hair artist?

It was last June when I got an opportunity to appear on a huge hair show in Shibuya. And that was the time to awake my artistic potential. My design and act on stage attracted thousands of spectators. I was sure that I have something special like nobody else. After then I started to create hair architecture and hair art to become the artist I’m destined to be.

Your work comprises mostly of Avant Garde Collections. Why is that? What does it mean to you on a personal and professional level?

I will explain the reasons for my works are almost avant-garde styles by dividing it into a personal part and professional part.

◎Personal part 
In fact, these are all the things I wanted to make from the bottom of my heart. If it happens to be seen by people, it’s just an avant-garde. So I introduced my work to people: “This is my story”. For artists, their work are themselves. By creating artworks, I experience a feeling of achievement that I never can experience in a salon work. That’s the way I am. It’s just my happiness.

◎Professional part
Through these shootings, my hairdressing skills have made remarkable progress. I’ve been expanding them to the world on Instagram etc … and therefore gaining a great reputation. And I won the prestigious awards both in Japan and overseas. Most importantly I’ve been able to connect with various professional artists in the world. First of all, the top priority is to fill my mind. Second, it should be recognized throughout the world (or win the competitions) For me, this ranking is a very important one that never changes.

What inspires you when creating this image, and how long in preparation for one particular creation.

I will tell you about the latest work “The Soul Trembles” collections.
Last year, a contemporary artist, Chiharu Shiota exhibited her artworks at the Mori Art Museum, and became a big topic of conversation around the world. The works by Shiota in probing of the origins of life and death moved many people’s hearts as well as mine. This February, an idea sparked which is the development of this work to hair design, and it was completed during the five-week production period. The enormous hair art of a meter wide was a great feature.

This art collection consists of three parts. First, “The Soul Trembles”- with probing the cosmic view of Shiota and my unique sense of art. Second, “Uncertain Journey” that mixes the art of Shiota and the art of Kabuki. Third, “Rebirth and Passing” which expresses an unassuming beauty inspired by Shiota’s arts. When I was up in Instagram, the artists of the world dramatically came to share. No way! This one collection’s like is now over 9,700. This is also the culmination of my year’s creativity. Absolutely, it’s my best.

When creating the ‘Atlantis Mythology’ look, what are needed to perfecting the overall image? Walk us through your creative process, from initial idea to final image.

I had created this collection”ATLANTIS MYTHOLOGY” from September to December last year. The legend of Atlantis, which moved my heart when I was a little boy, is the inspirational material. I particularly believed in TIMAEUS, Plato. The beautiful empire in the Atlantic. The beautiful island loved by the gods but sank thousands of years ago and has not yet been found. It is the Atlantis myth that expresses that ephemeral and fantastic story in hair design.

The collection of these four pieces is a product of my imagination. The costumes were provided by great fashion designer , Anna Choi, who is young gifted Japanese designer.

When I was a little boy, I always remembered to read the Atlantis myth. A dancer, ruler, a cathedral, and a castle were vaguely hung in my mind. I could easily imagine sort of them. (Because there was no pics) Finally, I started as a hair designer last year and created not only images but also every story that I had imagined since childhood. For example, if you are a dancer, you’re on the stage alone. If it is a cathedral, it expresses the feeling of decay in hair over a long period of time.

At any rate, I made my work thoroughly until I was satisfied with costumes, make up and modelling, as well as hair arts. The shooting was very impressive. When the model finished styling was standing in the studio and the shutter began, I returned to the six-year-old boy. The story of Atlantis became a reality in the picture. I was so happy and almost crying in front of the shooting staff.

                                                                                      “ATLANTIS MYTHOLOGY “

Marqués de Riscal hotel is another creation that caught my attention. Why this particular hotel? Have you always been interested in architecture or this specific hotel? What is that made you want to do this design that resembles the hotel in Spain.

That’s very kind of you to say. I like architecture as well as studying architect by myself.

What affected me was Guggenheim Museum Bilbao designed by the charismatic architect, Frank・O・Gehry. The Marqués de Riscal Hotel, is one of his best works; It’s bold and amazing. It’s also one of my favourite architectures.

One day, I thought to make this magical architecture to hair art. This is from a pure quest. The process to my production is so simple that when I find something that I’d like to create then start to find a way to create. Let’s face it, for example, that it was Marqués de Riscal. Is that possible or impossible? I don’t think that. I always try to find a way out of my head. Soon I started to design, find fashion designer, select costume, choose the ingredients for the hair and create it with great concentration. Ordinary, you probably won’t be able to do it, will you? To create great architecture on the head … almost everyone said to me :”You’re crazy” 、 “No, you can’t.” “It’s absolutely impossible”. I ignored everything of them. It almost gave me a burning desire to prove their wrong because I had confidence that I can do it. To me, all the designs that exist in this world can be made with hair. It’s my precious theory.

Why do people think hair can not be done because it can be made from iron, wood, and concrete? What is the most important thing is the passion to make it, the courage not to be afraid of failure. I have shown people that my theory is correct due to the completion of this artwork. In fact, no one has taught me how to make creative works. Rather, I think that because I didn’t have kind of common creative ways, I could have made my works by totally free and boldness ways. Everything is a product of trial and error. I’d like to tell readers one more time.

“Every design in this world can be made by hair.”

How do you translate someone’s vision/ideas into hair and how much comes from your own creativity?

This is also my theory, that is “designers cannot create something from nothing.” All the designs that exist in this world are surely inspired by something. It may be from a plant or an animal or anything.

For me it was architecture, fashion and myth. It needs courage to turn these created by great artists into art by hair design, but I always feel it’s very fulfilling. What I always trying to do is reimagine with a modern twist to it.

If the question’s meaning was: “What works were made by inspiration not visual?”: I can show you those→”ATlANTIS MYTHOLOGY” /”I’m still breathing” inspired by music (“Alive” Sia) /”TOKYO WOLF” that expresses the chaos in Tokyo.

It’s safe to say that you’ve done it all in your career. As a professional, do you still feel the need to keep learning or to still follow trends?

I feel there is still a lot to learn. If I stop making progress here, I will soon disappear from the memory of the people.

“As long as you are born as a human being, you should be THE ONLY ONE in your lifetime” I love this quote.

From this year on, I will apply for the short course of “Central Saint Martins” the greatest art university, to learn contemporary art and fine art. I think this is unusual from a world-wide perspective as a career of hairdresser. In addition, I plan to study makeup at Shiseido’s makeup school for the next half year.

A hairdresser is a job to cut hair and make customers smile. It’s so great and I love this job. But on the other hand, hairdressers are also artists. In Japan, vanilla feminine designs are welcomed by industry, but artistic works are not highly regarded. There are many people who are working as hairdresser. However, no one identified themselves as a contemporary hair artist or makes it as occupation. So, I would like to be that first. That’s why I’m going to be a contemporary hair artist first. I want to show Japanese industry that the hairdressers can live and work more artistically.

And my goal is to immerse these arts and put techniques into hair design and create artwork that will impress people all over the world.

Which are the projects that you are most proud of?

It’s “Mondrian Look” and “Monster on the Inside”.

◎”Mondrian Look”.
Last June, I thought to reproduce this famous painting in hair color design when I just started to create my art works. It was the first artwork that was created after the hair show. There’s abundant technical difficult, and I’d failed many times. The color extension was completed on the morning of the shooting. Nevertheless, this shooting was successful and inspired many hair designers. There’re some who say that I expand new potential of hair color. It was also the first style that gave me confidence as hair artist.

◎”Monster on the Inside”.
It was produced by a joint art directing with Polish photographic artist Margo. Until then, the shooting crew had only been Japanese, although I had hired a foreigner as a model. So, I was very happy when an offer from Margo came. The model was a top model Gretta from Lithuania, Poland x Japan x Lithuania. Totally difference identities and art senses gathered has produced a very good result. The designs with story, Margo’s excellent camera work, Gretta instantly understood our art and coordinates hairstyles and costumes. It was new challenge and the first time for me to film a movie.

Growing up, who inspired you to become a hairstylist and did you have a mentor?

I was very influenced by the hair salon MINX in Harajuku when I was 15. Sooner I decided to become a hairdresser after graduate. Fortunately, I passed tough exams and entered the salon MINX. I was assigned Ginza store when I was 20 years old and had been trained for almost three years. MINX Ginza is the most popular salon in Japan with prized best sales hair salon in Japan twice. The mentor is the two benefactor I met at the salon, Ms. Hanako Yagi, the Executive Director of MINX. She was my master who taught me how to serve customers and attitudes as a hairdresser. I absolutely believe that she is the greatest female hairdresser in Japan.

Making customers all smile and feeling so happy looks like it’s magic. Her teaching is the basis for me now. Ms. Yuko Nishida, Aura Artist/Artistic Painter, was in charge of education when I was a trainee and she thought me her amazingly hair cutting technique. Now she’s been working independently as an Aura artist.
Now the industry is different, but I always respect her because she inspires and encourage people by her own unique art paintings. So, was I. What she does is extraordinary, and she can connect spirits, and see your “Aura” (Halo), and draw them to canvas by her gifted artistic sense.

And above all, paintings are all beautiful. I bought one from her recently. I’m a fan of her art now.

                                                                  5years ago… with my Master Ms. Hanako Yagi 

Can you give us the inside scoop on what the next trend or look you are working on?

It’s very difficult time right now. I have canceled all scheduled projects since this April due to COVID-19. But this is not the end of time, so I’ve been studying art because I realized that stay home is a new opportunity.

Also I started my YouTube channel “RYUTA CUT LESSON”. When the studio’s closedown is lifted, I’m going to release four-style inspired biology, with the title “The Origin of Life”. I’m not just making it, but I’ll send you a message through this new collection. I’ll send you a message in a design aimed at a new era through corona. I wanted to create it, because I could relate in some way. Please look forward to it!

How would you describe your own personal style?

“Contemporary Hair Art” or “Hair Architecture”. Recently, I always describe myself as “Contemporary Hair Artist” and “Hair Architect”.