[00:00] Valerie: Rise. Renew. Reconnect.
[00:03] Welcome to from the Ashes, a podcast where every episode ignites hope and healing.
[00:09] Today I'm sitting down with my friend and fellow dancer Shinjiro Tanaka, an artist, deep thinker, and someone whose story I've been wanting to share with the world for a long time.
[00:18] This conversation goes to some tender places, including loss and the will to live.
[00:22] If you're in a sensitive place right now, please take care of yourself as you listen.
[00:27] And if you stay, I think you'll find what I found in Sheen, that art has a way of bringing us back to life.
[00:45] I'm going to introduce you a little bit so that people know just the context. Right. Because, like,
[00:51] I try for everyone on my podcast to be someone that I know for the most part. Sometimes I'll get people I don't, but, like, because we have a connection. Because I know you, where you come from.
[01:03] So this is my friend Shin Tanaka,
[01:07] and we are in his atelier in Tokyo.
[01:11] And I'm known shin for like 14 years.
[01:18] Shin: Yeah, yeah. Because I moved to New York when I. It was a 2012.
[01:23] Valerie: Yeah, same.
[01:26] Shin: Yeah. Right.
[01:27] Valerie: Moved back to New York in 2012. Yes. I've known Shin for 14 years and we met in the street dance realm of New York. The street and scene at like popping sessions, right?
[01:39] Shin: Yeah, yeah, yeah. Funky Mansion or something.
[01:42] Valerie: Funky mansion or maybe pop shop.
[01:43] Shin: Pop shop.
[01:44] Valerie: Yeah, yeah. So shout out, guys.
[01:46] Pop shop in Funky Mansion. That's like very natsukashi.
[01:52] Yeah.
[01:53] And I mean, since then you moved back to Tokyo, but I also saw him in la and recently we reconnected. Reconnected because I moved back to Tokyo and we've been talking a lot about, like, art and dance, and I've learned that Shin has a really deep story.
[02:16] And actually the way that you look at art and the way that you look at life is something I really admire.
[02:24] Shin: Oh, thank you.
[02:26] Valerie: So I want the world to be able to witness some of that today. But, you know, where we'll start is actually the shirts we're wearing.
[02:33] Shin: Yep.
[02:34] Valerie: Because earlier this year you had an art show called Broken but Still Golden. Right.
[02:42] And I want to start from there because I think the message of even that show is really significant. And I want you to talk about,
[02:51] like, what you see in that. What was the theme about and how is that reflected in you?
[02:56] Shin: Yeah. Okay, so about a show.
[03:01] Valerie: Yeah, let's start with the show.
[03:02] Shin: Okay. So like a.
[03:06] How do I say for the show?
[03:09] I was thinking what should I show?
[03:12] And all the time for the exhibition, I.
[03:16] I prepared Some kind of main theme and sometimes freedom. Sometimes like only pen or something. The technique. But this time,
[03:28] since I had the really tough year last year,
[03:31] so.
[03:32] And also like today's circumstance,
[03:36] like wars and financial things, you know, like, everything's really chaotic. And I felt like everyone has kind of difficult moment. And then my heart was broken deeply since I had to.
[03:55] When had to go through a lot of tough things.
[03:59] But I still want to see the hope inside of it.
[04:04] So I decided to make a artwork,
[04:08] not only just a beautiful one.
[04:11] So I paint over the wood panel and it's. How to say a carved. Carved. Yeah, Curve it as like a. Like a. How to say it or scar.
[04:24] Valerie: Yeah.
[04:25] Shin: And I painted on the gold line on it like Kintsugi,
[04:30] which is the Japanese culture, when you broke some kind of dishes,
[04:35] we put gold to attach it so that we can reuse it and with the beauty.
[04:44] So scar is not only just a scar, but it makes it original.
[04:48] So I think, like,
[04:50] it's same, but we are same like that and we can't make it like same like before.
[05:00] Valerie: Yeah.
[05:00] Shin: But still golden. So I would like to find some kind of hope inside of the skull because that make us today.
[05:10] Valerie: Yeah.
[05:10] Shin: If that makes sense.
[05:11] Valerie: Yeah, that totally makes sense.
[05:12] Shin: Sorry for my English.
[05:14] Valerie: No, this is beautiful. Like, and I'll. I'll add some parts like. Like, I'll add my thoughts as we go along.
[05:19] But I really like that concept because I think in this day and age,
[05:25] in this world,
[05:27] sometimes there's a pressure to be perfect.
[05:30] Shin: Right?
[05:30] Valerie: Right. There's a pressure to perform and stay in the lane and stuff. And you could talk a little bit about your struggles with that, especially in Japan.
[05:40] But like, I love the Japanese concept that even if you're not perfect, even if you're broken and you've gone through hard circumstances,
[05:48] you can actually become more beautiful.
[05:50] Shin: Right.
[05:51] Valerie: And strong from that experience.
[05:55] And I think you are actually a really good example of that because of your story.
[06:01] So Shin actually was born in the States.
[06:05] And so I want you to tell us a little bit about, like, what was. What was it like to kind of have these two worlds and. And tell us a little bit about how you even became an artist.
[06:19] Shin: Okay.
[06:19] Valerie: Right. Yeah.
[06:20] Shin: Okay, I'll try.
[06:21] Valerie: Yeah. Yeah. And I'll. I'll help.
[06:23] Shin: Okay. Thank you.
[06:24] So, like, as she said, I was born in US But I came back to Japan when I was six years old, so I didn't remember the most of the part, but still remember,
[06:35] like, my experience. Like, I painted on the road with my Chalk or like Halloween and with a costume or like I felt like more freedom.
[06:47] Valerie: Yeah.
[06:47] Shin: And more colorful at the time.
[06:50] But when I came back to Japan, everything is in good way. Everything is really organized and everyone is really follow the rules.
[07:00] But to me it's too much sometimes I want to do this and you know, not like it's not right way.
[07:09] Valerie: Yeah.
[07:09] Shin: For the rules. But to me, why don't we do this? Because you know, it's not. Rule is not everything.
[07:17] Valerie: Yeah.
[07:17] Shin: So I had a really difficult time still. I have that kind of thing here.
[07:23] Valerie: Yeah.
[07:24] Shin: It's pros and cons, you know. Well, control but less freedom.
[07:28] Valerie: Yeah.
[07:29] Shin: So as an artist in here,
[07:35] that's my struggle actually I want to since I don't have any education.
[07:41] So I'm self taught artist.
[07:44] But everything is really,
[07:46] how do I say, really conservative or here.
[07:50] Otherwise you can't get more opportunity.
[07:53] Valerie: Yeah.
[07:54] Shin: So that's why I'm trying to go outside and. Yeah.
[08:00] Valerie: Yeah. Well, let me ask you about that first.
[08:04] So give us a little bit of a.
[08:06] Paint a picture of what it's like to be an artist in Japan.
[08:11] Shin: Oh, I see. As a professional you mean? Yeah.
[08:14] Valerie: And like why is it that it's difficult to do what you want to do?
[08:18] Shin: Okay.
[08:19] Maybe it's less opportunity than that of in abroad because like contemporary art is from like Europe or us, you know, outside of Japan and we don't have the culture.
[08:35] Valerie: Yeah.
[08:36] Shin: So they don't used to purchase the painting even they don't have a custom to put artwork.
[08:46] Valerie: Okay.
[08:47] Shin: So that's. I think it's really different.
[08:50] But the different way we have like a kakejiku or different kind of stuff. But still people don't think it's like common.
[08:59] Valerie: Yeah.
[08:59] Shin: Here in Japan.
[09:01] So that's I think one difficulty. And also people don't understand art that much. Like they, they think it's really high end or like hobby or something like that.
[09:15] So people don't want to.
[09:20] Can I talk in Japanese?
[09:40] Valerie: Yeah. So basically like there are people who are doing it. Like really, really high end people are making tons of money doing it and then they're also the starving artists. Right.
[09:50] The people who are at the bottom and there's really no awareness of or really space for people who are doing it in the middle and maybe. Okay, so let me ask you a question or.
[10:03] Because when I was working in Japanese elementary schools,
[10:08] the way that they teach art is you have to copy, right?
[10:12] Yeah. And actually when you go to any workshop,
[10:16] like a tourist workshop, like for dyeing Ink or you know, those block prints and stuff, the famous Japanese crafts.
[10:24] It's not about the creativity, it's always about the technique.
[10:27] Shin: Right?
[10:28] Yeah, because they, Japanese people want the answer. Yeah. Because they, if I, you know, the exact answer. Otherwise they feel anxious.
[10:39] Oh, am I doing right?
[10:41] You know that I think that's the mentality that Japanese has.
[10:44] Valerie: Yeah, yeah. So there's actually very little room for creative expression maybe in art.
[10:50] Shin: I think so. Yeah. Yeah.
[10:52] Valerie: Whereas, you know, if you look at your art, so much of it is so unique creative statements and expression and beliefs and worldviews in your art.
[11:03] Right.
[11:04] And that's kind of un Japanese.
[11:07] Shin: Right. I think that's because I don't have the any kind of education here in Japan. So like I don't know the rules.
[11:14] Valerie: Yeah, but you went to school for art in the States, right?
[11:17] Shin: No, no.
[11:18] Valerie: Okay, no, never mind.
[11:20] So you actually are only street.
[11:22] Only street, which is great. Okay, so let's actually go into that story.
[11:26] How did you actually tell us a little bit about your background from before?
[11:32] Like, you know, because I knew you were working in Japan and then how you became a street artist.
[11:36] Shin: So I used to work as a advertising salesperson at the Japanese advertising company, which is the largest one and I was in suits and it's totally different from that of different life.
[11:52] Valerie: Yeah.
[11:53] Shin: And they paid good,
[11:56] but they have.
[11:58] I work from 7:30am to 12am and I had to go to drink with my clients at 3 3am it's like that the work so hard and I felt like this is my night, not my life.
[12:13] And in 2011,
[12:15] the Great Earthquake hits in Japan and I went there as a volunteer and I saw a lot of people suffering from the earthquake and some of them lost their families, their home.
[12:32] But still they have strengths to live.
[12:37] And even the volunteers has a really different background.
[12:42] And I talk with those people and okay, I think this is not my life.
[12:49] The life I experience is just only small world.
[12:55] And I had been wanted to explore my art or entertainment world.
[13:03] So okay, maybe this is the timing to go out.
[13:27] But at that time it was so hard.
[13:31] So I decided to leave this country because otherwise I remember everything reminds me my tough memories.
[13:42] So I quit my job and moved to New York because my father and my little brother lived there.
[13:49] So I didn't have any plan at the time.
[13:52] Only I think I went to school to Learn graphic design for short term.
[13:58] That's it.
[14:00] So no plan.
[14:02] Valerie: Yeah. How long were you at the ad agency before you moved to.
[14:06] Shin: Three and a half years.
[14:07] Valerie: Three and a half years. Okay. Yeah.
[14:09] Shin: That was so tough.
[14:11] Valerie: Can you. I know like you said, you were like in a suit. 7am Yeah.
[14:18] Shin: 12am, 3am yeah. That's crazy.
[14:22] Valerie: With clients.
[14:23] Shin: With clients. Not only clients, but like my colleagues. And also, you know, that different divisions, people, you know, to connect, making stronger connection. You know what I'm saying?
[14:35] Valerie: Yeah, yeah.
[14:36] Shin: That's a Japanese evil custom. I don't know if he still goes on. I think it's going less, I think
[14:44] Valerie: because there's more like consciousness of the, you know, the impact it has on people.
[14:50] Shin: Right.
[14:50] Valerie: I think now is getting maybe a little better.
[14:53] Shin: I think so.
[14:53] Valerie: But even because I started working in a Japanese environment recently, and I still see that, you know, people are working very long hours.
[15:02] Shin: Yeah.
[15:03] Valerie: Even if they're part time. They're even. Even they are working very long hours.
[15:07] So.
[15:09] And even with me, it's. It's like I could feel it when I'm working a lot, how it can affect the space spirit.
[15:16] So,
[15:17] yeah, I. I can see how you would want to just drop and then go.
[15:22] Shin: Yeah, it was so scary. But, you know, like, I couldn't do it for whole life.
[15:28] Valerie: Yeah. So when you got to New York, what, you know, what was your. Your thinking? Like, how did you. How did you become, you know, your artist self?
[15:39] Shin: Actually, I didn't think I'm gonna become an artist. I just like dancing and I just go to the school to learn graphic design.
[15:48] So gradually I just combined those experience together and I just try. Okay, maybe I can print my design on T shirt for my teammate and they like it. Oh. The people say, okay, you can sell my things.
[16:03] So. Okay. And I had a connection at a small mall in Brooklyn and they told. They asked me to sell my stuff. Okay.
[16:13] And I just shift to the this and that and just, you know, like, it's not happen at once. I gradually pivot to do my things and I just realized, okay, maybe this is what I like.
[16:27] And maybe people like,
[16:30] yeah,
[16:32] I think this is my strength.
[16:33] Valerie: Yeah.
[16:34] Shin: So.
[16:35] Valerie: Yeah.
[16:36] And then the,
[16:38] you know, you and I, when we connected recently and then with our friends from New York, because we actually have a lot of friends now that are came back from New York to Japan and they all miss New York.
[16:51] What makes New York so special,
[16:53] you think?
[16:55] Shin: Maybe diversity.
[16:57] I mean, like, maybe chaos,
[16:59] you know, like people from all over the world gathered at the Little town, like New York is big, but I. I mean, like New York City.
[17:06] Valerie: Yeah.
[17:06] Shin: It's a really small town that you can go anywhere by subway, anything, and you can see a totally different world.
[17:15] Valerie: Yeah.
[17:15] Shin: From blocks to block. So I think that's really interest. Interesting. And you can't see outside of that town, I think.
[17:24] Valerie: Yeah, definitely. And you know, did you watch the, like the Knicks and the celebration in New York from the basketball game?
[17:33] Shin: Yeah, like that's.
[17:36] Valerie: That's very. Yeah. And it's so like that's New York.
[17:40] Shin: Right? Right. Chaos.
[17:41] Valerie: Chaos. But joy. Joyous chaos. And like kind of. Yeah.
[17:46] Shin: Good in bad way.
[17:47] Valerie: Yeah, yeah, of course.
[17:48] But there's something very harmonious about different people from different background,
[17:56] ethnicity,
[17:57] social class, being able to come together in celebration.
[18:03] Wild, but like celebration.
[18:07] Yeah. And I think that's very special and it creates a type of person. Like the way that we are, I think, is because we've lived in New York as artists.
[18:18] And so, like everything here is. Is colorful and it's very unique.
[18:22] Shin: Thank you.
[18:23] Valerie: Right, how now that you're here and how long have you been here?
[18:30] Shin: Since I came back here. It's about nine years already. Ooh, time flies.
[18:37] Valerie: Yeah. Nine years and married with kids.
[18:40] Yeah.
[18:41] Okay, so tell us a little bit about since you came back from New York.
[18:46] How have you made artwork for you here?
[18:50] Like,
[18:50] like, how have you.
[18:52] Because you're doing artists professionally right here. Like, like, what are you doing here as an artist?
[18:58] And then how are you trying to continue this spirit of self expression?
[19:04] Shin: Yeah,
[19:05] that's a good question.
[19:07] So actually I. After I came back to Japan, I work at a art company called Tokyo Dex, which connect artists and companies and paint a mural for them.
[19:19] And I saw a lot of artists and I learned some kind of techniques from them. And okay, maybe I want to do this by myself.
[19:28] So I graduated from the company and start my own career since 2019.
[19:35] And I didn't.
[19:37] I didn't know about anything about Art world.
[19:41] Valerie: Yeah.
[19:41] Shin: So I just start painting and I show around and some people just like my stuff and. And person who runs the company really like my artwork. And he said, I want to purchase your work.
[19:56] And I didn't even make my price list,
[20:00] so I don't know how much it is.
[20:02] Valerie: Yeah.
[20:02] Shin: So you. You can just choose. And he said, okay, I want to support your thing. What you would you like to do? He said.
[20:10] So I said, okay, maybe I really like New York and I perform on the streets as a dancer in New York, but I've never done As a painter.
[20:22] So I would like to do it.
[20:23] Valerie: Yeah.
[20:24] Shin: And he said, okay then. Okay, I'm gonna purchase your flight ticket.
[20:28] Valerie: Yeah.
[20:29] Shin: So that's a deal. Oh. So I went to New York and live painting for 30 days.
[20:34] Valerie: Yeah.
[20:35] Shin: In December.
[20:36] Valerie: Where?
[20:37] Shin: New York, like city.
[20:39] City,
[20:39] like anywhere. Okay. Yes. On the streets, subway,
[20:43] the Grand Central,
[20:45] anywhere. I just tried to go there and paint. And someone close to me, I just run.
[20:50] I just doing that. And I had my first exhibition in Japan. I brought them back.
[20:57] Valerie: Wow.
[20:58] Shin: And that's how it started.
[21:00] And people are gradually know me and so luckily I could sell some my artworks.
[21:08] I think I.
[21:09] I can do it. I can make it. It's not that easy though.
[21:13] So I think that's why I'm doing not only painting, but also painting mural. I'm doing live visual stuff since I have a neurodiversity also adhd, that kind of stuff. I.
[21:26] My focus going this way, that way. But to me it's connected,
[21:31] like from.
[21:33] From myself.
[21:34] It's just a different expression.
[21:36] Valerie: Yeah.
[21:37] Shin: So. And also, maybe it's more easier for me to live as a professional artist because if I just painting it's really competitive and you know,
[21:49] like white cube,
[21:50] like,
[21:51] you know, that kind of stuff is really,
[21:54] how do I say?
[21:56] Conservative. I don't know.
[21:57] Valerie: Yeah, maybe.
[21:58] Shin: So maybe it's really not easy.
[22:00] Valerie: Okay.
[22:01] Shin: For me because my background is really different from them.
[22:05] Valerie: Yeah.
[22:06] Shin: So I think that's why I'm doing in work in different ways.
[22:10] Valerie: Yeah.
[22:11] Shin: And that makes me unique character.
[22:15] Valerie: Yeah.
[22:16] Do you have a pretty like tight network of artists that you share like a good like a vision with or like have like a.
[22:28] Have a. Like a similar outlook as you? Yeah.
[22:31] Shin: I have some artist friends here in Japan also.
[22:34] And also I go back and forth to New York and recently I went to Sweden and met some really great artists. So, like, I constantly talk with people.
[22:46] Valerie: Yeah.
[22:47] Shin: So, yeah. It's really inspiring.
[22:49] Valerie: Yeah. And do you find that art is therapeutic for you?
[22:55] Shin: Yes, totally.
[22:56] Valerie: Yeah. Because can you share a little bit about. Because you said you had a tough year.
[23:01] Yeah. Can you share a little bit about that and how, you know, you've been able to use your art?
[23:07] Shin: Yeah.
[23:07] Valerie: Through.
[23:09] Shin: Yeah, sure.
[23:11] So last year, it was a really, really tough year for me because some. Some of my close friends betrayed me and some asked me money and some just use me for my connection or, you know, information or something like that. So I couldn't think anything. Like, I was crying whole day.
[23:49] Every day, I was crying. And actually, at the time I said I wanted to die every day, like,
[23:56] so. But I think too much.
[23:59] Not even that hard time. I always think too much. Maybe that's because I am. I have adhd.
[24:06] But when I paint or when I dance,
[24:09] I don't think anything. I can focus on that stuff, and I can release my energy.
[24:15] Even like a positive or negative energy,
[24:19] it doesn't matter. I can release myself.
[24:23] And I think that heals me.
[24:27] Sometimes I can't paint,
[24:30] but still,
[24:32] when I focus on creating something,
[24:35] I can forget other stuff.
[24:38] Valerie: When you make your art now and you have, like, you're doing these shows, I think a lot, like, especially like this. And this is for you, right? Like, this is.
[24:48] This is like you showing your work.
[24:51] Do you have a vision for how you want the world to be?
[24:57] Shin: The world?
[24:58] Valerie: Yeah. Like, what message do you like? Yeah.
[25:01] Shin: Through my artwork.
[25:02] Valerie: Yeah. What message do you want the world to.
[25:06] Shin: Yeah. And there might be many,
[25:08] but,
[25:09] like, a human has many potential, like possibilities. I want to show them by my hours.
[25:17] I think that's why I'm making in different ways, not only painting, but sometimes a curve, sometimes a project.
[25:24] So that's a way to express the possibilities.
[25:28] That's the first thing. And nandarona.
[25:32] It depends on the My works. Each artwork has meaning.
[25:37] So, for example, this one is very colorful and joyful when you see from afar. But when you get close to it, you see this kind of really tiny,
[25:48] you know,
[25:50] detail. Detail that's.
[25:53] That reflects the struggle for the human.
[25:56] You can see from far, but when you get close to it, you see something. Even some people, something is on the corner or it's hidden, like on the side.
[26:07] So it's about the perspective.
[26:10] So if you think the worries with the joyful,
[26:14] maybe there's something.
[26:16] Someone is struggling.
[26:18] But still, I don't want to give up about the whole. So that's why I paint the really colorful.
[26:24] Valerie: So in this painting, you know, not only are there details like this, but there's also different textures.
[26:30] Do you like. Is there any significance to those as well? Or just.
[26:35] Shin: I like to be playful, you know, like, people want. I want to inspire people. If it's very flat,
[26:44] it makes just a flat impression. But I play with it.
[26:48] People think,
[26:49] oh, I like this part. I like this part. And people start. Look for the other parts. So I just like it.
[26:57] Then people might find this way, oh, what is this? And I'm gonna explain.
[27:02] This is a struggle. It's not about. Only about the colorful, joy, beautiful.
[27:08] It's not about just clean beauty. You know, everything is.
[27:15] How do I say?
[27:16] Valerie: Multi faceted.
[27:19] Shin: Yeah. Like a coin side. You know, everything has like a multi side.
[27:25] Valerie: Yeah, like different sides.
[27:26] Shin: Yeah, definitely. Yeah. Some part are pain over.
[27:33] Valerie: So. Okay, in Japanese they have different expressions, right? So like wabi sabi.
[27:40] Shin: Yeah,
[27:43] Valerie: different things like that. Is there an expression for this? Kind of like there everything has a dark and light side or like has different dimensions kind of thing.
[27:53] Shin: Can you say again, Sorry.
[27:54] Valerie: Is there like a expression for the way that you're saying like everything has kind of like different sides,
[28:03] different like struggle. Like both, like the good and the bad and the ugly and the beautiful there expression in Japanese for something like that?
[28:15] Shin: It depends. I think some does, but not all about it.
[28:19] Valerie: Yeah.
[28:19] Shin: But to me, I. I always think about now only one side.
[28:23] Valerie: Yeah.
[28:24] Shin: There's dark side also. And that's why I started my art career.
[28:30] Valerie: Yeah.
[28:31] Shin: And I think it's the importance of. About art.
[28:36] Valerie: Yeah.
[28:36] Shin: You know, like it's not only about,
[28:38] Valerie: wow, it's so beautiful.
[28:40] Shin: You know what I'm saying? So I want to tell people about both side, to think about life, not only ourself, but others. I think it's just a "kikkake"
[28:56] Valerie: kikake is like the impetus or the reason. Right?
[29:00] Shin: Just the. Yeah, yeah. That kind of thing. Yeah.
[29:04] Valerie: Through my art, I like that a lot.
[29:09] Shin: I wish I could explain English more fluently, but, you know, but I think
[29:12] Valerie: I understand and you know. Okay, so I'll say this about what you just said. Is that like, because you want to show that we're multifaceted, multi dimensional, multi. Like we. We all struggle.
[29:25] We all have our bad days, good days,
[29:29] strengths and weaknesses.
[29:31] When we understand that we have them and we can accept both sides,
[29:36] we can also accept that for other people.
[29:39] Shin: Right.
[29:39] Valerie: So that increases compassion. That's what I like about that concept a lot.
[29:44] Shin: Thank you.
[29:45] Valerie: Yeah. And I think we do need that in the world so much more these days.
[29:50] Yeah.
[29:51] Okay,
[29:53] so I think for the last question of this interview,
[29:56] can you tell us, you know, do you have another art show or are you working on another art piece right now? And what's the theme of that?
[30:05] Shin: Actually,
[30:06] recently I'm submitting open call to the mural festival or like other artists in residence. So I'm focusing on doing that.
[30:18] And actually I'm struggling about making new stuff now,
[30:23] actually. It's always like that. Yeah, I always think too much.
[30:27] But you know,
[30:29] sometimes I. Okay. I find a way.
[30:32] But after that, maybe this is different.
[30:35] So it's just. Yeah, like that. So maybe the last time, last exhibition was okay, I found my way.
[30:43] But now,
[30:44] okay,
[30:45] maybe no,
[30:46] maybe not enough.
[30:48] Valerie: Yeah.
[30:48] Shin: So I'm just searching, searching, searching.
[30:51] Valerie: Or maybe it'll just come one day.
[30:52] Shin: Yeah, yeah. It's like. Like wave.
[30:55] Valerie: Yeah,
[30:56] yeah. And I understand that too, because I,
[30:58] as a dancer, like, I usually do freestyle, but sometimes I want to capture it on video.
[31:03] I maybe make one once a year.
[31:05] Shin: That's it.
[31:07] Valerie: And then I don't have another idea for another year. So, yeah, I totally get it. But I look forward to whatever you create next.
[31:15] Shin: Thanks very much.
[31:16] Valerie: Yeah. Okay. Do you have any last messages for our audience Today break?
[31:21] Shin: Thank you for listening to us and thank you for having me.
[31:25] Valerie: Yeah.
[31:25] Shin: And it's my honor. And I hope everyone understand my poor English and. Yeah, I hope we can. Everybody can see my actual work. Yeah, someday, please.
[31:39] Valerie: And also check out his website. What is your website?
[31:42] Shin: Shinjirotanaka.com.
[31:44] Valerie: there you go. Okay. All right. Thank you, everyone.
[31:47] Shin: Thank you.
[31:47] Valerie: Thank you.
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