Naoki Shimoyama is a sculptor who primarily works with animal motifs, creating wood sculptures that embody the presence and states of being that exist between reality and the unseen. Referring to his works as “Jikokuzō” (self-carved figures), Shimoyama pursues a unique sculptural language in which animals become vessels through which he projects his inner thoughts, emotions, and consciousness. In his practice, animals are not mere representations of nature, but function instead as filters that connect different dimensions and layers of perception. Although presented as sculptures with undeniable physical mass, their existence remains in a constant state of transformation, oscillating between the visible and invisible, the real and the imagined. His practice is guided by three core principles: that the motif must be an animal; that the form must possess beauty and evoke sculptural resonance; and that the work must convey clear reflections on society, history, and views of nature. Through forms that fully engage the spatial and physical potential of sculpture, Shimoyama creates meticulously carved works depicting dogs, cats, and mythical creatures — beings that are at once familiar and deeply symbolic. Through these works, he evokes a sense of existential reality and emotional empathy in the viewer. In recent years, Shimoyama has expanded his inquiry toward more universal and primordial questions through his “Atoma / Kenon” series. In these works, he visualizes the philosophical concepts of “Atoma,” conceived as the microscopic particles composing existence, and “Kenon” (void), understood as an absence that nonetheless undeniably exists. The pursuit of how to grasp invisible forms and ambiguous realities has become a central theme throughout his practice. In an era increasingly shaped by digitalization and the reduction of information into data, Shimoyama deliberately emphasizes the tangible presence and physical scale of sculpture. He believes in the bodily and resonant experiences that can emerge only through analog processes, continuously challenging human perception and consciousness through the medium of sculpture. Born in Maebashi, Gunma Prefecture in 1972, Shimoyama completed the Sculpture Course at the Graduate School of Fine Arts, Tama Art University. After serving as a member of the Nika Association, he is currently involved in art education at institutions including Nagaoka Institute of Design and Tama Art University. He has presented numerous solo and group exhibitions both in Japan and internationally.