INDEX
Discovering a Beautiful Justification for Making Money
Kokawa： I feel that Yahata is more pure as an artist, disregarding business considerations. Staying pure requires an immense amount of energy, and that’s something I really trust about her.
Yahata: In the past, I wasn’t interested in making a name for myself; I was at the opposite end of that spectrum. However, now I believe that to make the people involved with me and those who support my expression happy, and to ensure they receive fair compensation, I need to step into the spotlight to some extent and express my thoughts clearly.
While it may not be exactly business-related, I have experienced a shift in my perspective. I now actively engage with society and feel it’s important to communicate my ideas effectively.
Kokawa： I totally understand. When you do business solely because you want to become wealthy, it feels off. However, when you find a noble cause—like wanting to enrich the artists and stakeholders around you—then making money takes on a beautiful reason.
Yahata: If there are moments when I become obsessed with money, that’s the only reason: to truly make those around me happy.
Kokawa： It takes quite a while to find that balance.
Why do you think you’ve arrived at this “noble reason” of wanting to establish a business to help others?
Kokawa: Simply put, it’s because it weighs on my heart. When you recognize the value and genuinely want to pay for it but find yourself unable to, you realize you need to engage in business properly.
Yawata: I’ve come to see things more clearly; my actions are not just my own issues. I’ve seen cases where the compensation for artists is prioritized low, and I always want to change the undervaluation of the labor involved in expression and art as much as possible.
Kokawa： To do that, you have to brand yourself clearly in society, which can lead to unnecessary aspects of art coming into play. Artists trying to maintain their purity are likely always battling this contradiction. The more recognized you become, the more your influence grows in terms of what you can do for art, so finding this balance is challenging but essential.
