An Explosion of Inner Creativity | Artist: Oliver Bin | ISSUE #15

‘ISSUE’ is a series that delves into the sensibilities and thought processes of creators from around the world, serving as a catalyst for new inspiration. In ‘ISSUE #15’, we explore the story of Oliver Bin, an artist and marketing director whose practice traverses diverse media platforms.

Bin is an artist who expresses himself through rap, photography, and video, while also running the music PR brand and distributing original rap-related content on YouTube as a marketer. Yet, his background is anything but conventional.

He spent half a year living in seclusion in a depopulated rural village. This experience was closely documented by a local broadcaster and produced as a documentary.

Afterwards, he led the life of a so-called 'address hopper', moving monthly around Tokyo while working as a salaryman. He shared his daily experiences and reflections through podcasts titled ‘I'm a Salaryman and Rapper Living in Tokyo, and I Have No Home’ and ‘The Rapper Who Became Such a Minimalist He Gave Up His Home’. Through these, he consistently output his insights and devoted himself to creative production.

Oliver Bin’s creative activities are so wide-ranging that he could be described as a living multimedia platform. During the interview, he laughs and says, “I get bored easily, so I can’t stick to anything for long,” but to me, it seems more accurate to say that he brings each idea to life, advancing to ever higher dimensions of creativity.

“By the age of 30, I want to be in a position where I have the option to live abroad.”

Bin shares his future goals. When considering what he wants to do and what skills are in demand internationally, the keywords ‘creativity’ and ‘marketing’ came to mind. Having already been active as a rapper, he began producing rap video content in 2021, distributing it on platforms such as YouTube and TikTok.

“When the platform changes, so does the approach.” With this in mind, he intentionally avoids tightly linking the platforms, instead repeatedly conducting experiments to find what works best for each.

Although Oliver Bin outputs his work across many fields, his interest in creating content has been with him since childhood. He found it so enjoyable that, as he continued to create, the balance gradually shifted toward making it his profession. There were two formative experiences that led him to pursue a creative path.

The first is rooted in his introverted tendencies. As a child, he felt that in Japanese culture, which values harmony, those who express themselves often face bullying or suppression. During a period of difficulty, he escaped to study abroad in the United States, where he was captivated by a culture that encourages open self-expression. People would notice and respond to his expressions, making communication feel natural and comfortable.

The second is that, deep down, he always dreamed of becoming famous. Laughing, he says, “I have an introverted mindset, but there’s a passion inside me—like an American rapper, you know?”

“I couldn’t become an athlete, and I’m not particularly smart, but music gave me the chance to dream the American Dream.” Since he couldn’t play instruments, he thought rap was the most accessible way to start making music, and so his musical journey began.

Moments of creative inspiration embedded in memory. In the realm of visual arts, it was a camera he bought in his sophomore year of university that sparked his interest. The reason for buying the camera is unique and quite amusing.

He used to take photos of the blackboard as lecture notes, but one day his smartphone broke. Reflecting on that time, he says, “Since there are so many chances in life to replace a smartphone, I thought I might as well buy a camera instead.” He used a feature phone for calls and a camera for documentation. Thus, he started using a camera purely for recording, not for artistic expression.

This was around 2016 or 2017, already an era dominated by smartphones.

As long as he could make calls, he was satisfied. He didn’t expect his camera to have phone functionality. This minimalist mindset, being content with what suffices, is an episode that offers a glimpse into his current lifestyle.

It was the camera, initially purchased for documentation, that led Oliver Bin to his current style of expression, where photography, video, and audio are all interconnected. If he were to give himself a title, he would currently describe himself as both an artist and a marketing director. His creative journey, spanning from upstream to downstream, inspires us to coin a new term for him: multimedia player.

He finds joy in eliciting reactions to his creative work. There were times when, without tangible results, he questioned what he was doing. Yet, a reaction is proof that someone’s emotions have been stirred by his content. Rather than simply riding the wave of algorithms, when he was able to monetize original content, he felt a tangible sense of fulfillment—knowing that his usually unspoken inner humor had reached someone. That joy remains unforgettable.

In closing, Oliver Bin shares his desire to continue his current activities with even greater vigor, creating a cycle of life where he can keep challenging himself through what he loves. In fact, he is likely to relocate overseas soon, and will probably continue producing content on a global scale. cizucu will continue to support his journey. We are committed to building a system that empowers passionate photographers and visual artists to take on new creative challenges, and will keep striving to provide excellent services.