In the age of AI it is essential that artists focus on what makes them unique, believes Yuko Shimizu, a multi-award-winning Japanese illustrator based in New York City. Yuko is an instructor at The School of Visual Arts and has almost 20 years of experience illustrating. Her work includes multiple disciplines; from pages of The New York Times, TIME, The New Yorker to WIRED, covers for DC Comic, Penguin, advertising. Yuko has won more than 15 medals from the Society of Illustrators since 2004, and was recently awarded the Caldecott Honor for her work on the children’s book The Cat Man of Aleppo (Penguin, 2020).
Yuko is the curator for the Illustration category at the 12th Romanian Design Week, which takes place from May 24 to June 2 in Bucharest. Under the theme "Unlock the city", RDW showcases over 200 projects from 6 different categories: architecture, interior design, fashion design, graphic design, product design, and illustration.
"I was so excited to find a unique personal voice in every level of illustrators, from the top established level all the way down to the student level. Again, now more than ever, uniqueness is so important to stand out and combat generic AI art. Good job, everyone!", says Yuko.
We talk with Yuko Shimizu about illustration, AI, the RDW experience, and how the role of creators is transforming in this age of technological changes.
Your work motto
„Do What You Love, Because Loving What You Do Can Get You Through Even The Tough Times.”
How has your perspective on illustration changed
Fear never goes away, but it does change over time. I was constantly worried about whether my work was good enough and if some clients would give me a job. I may be much more confident in that now, but also, impostor syndrome never goes away after all these years.
I don't know if anything has fundamentally changed. I may care less about making lists of dream clients and crossing them off one by one. You need that kind of ambition in the early part of your career, and then you need to let it go and relax a bit. I am more focused on making meaningful work.
The llustration scene in 2024
I definitely worry about AI affecting entry-level illustration. Now more than ever, it is important for each artist to focus on their own unique voice and make art that is not easy to predict.
Surveillance State, Yuko Shimizu. EMBEDDED ART: Art in the Name of Security
Curating at RDW 2024
I was so excited to find a unique personal voice in every level of illustrators, from the top established level all the way down to the student level. Again, now more than ever, uniqueness is so important to stand out and combat generic AI art. Good job, everyone!
Art and design do not solve wars or save the world, but they make the world worth living. It is very important to champion and focus on the field that enriches our lives.
Changing Role of Creators
It is a very big question, and I can probably talk for hours, both pros and cons, of this topic. But to make a quick point‚ social media and technological advancements have made the world much more accessible and smaller.
Each artist has a choice not just to thrive in the Romanian market, but also to thrive in the worldwide market. For instance, working for a New York client without leaving Romania. I have noticed some of the artists in the show are already doing that. Not that New York (or US) clients are better, but it is true that US clients tend to have higher budgets just because of the larger market they have and the stronger economy.
I live in New York because I think of it as my home. But also, it is sometimes exhausting to live in such an expensive and fast-paced city. I do fantasize about living somewhere else and getting New York project rates. (Ha ha.) And, not that money is important, but money can be important. So, with the higher rate of fee, you get to focus on the projects, personal or otherwise, that are very, very personally meaningful to you. And, that kind of choice was not possible just about 10-15 years ago. Now it is. It is always a good thing to have more options.
