Hideaki Kawashima has cultivated a distinctive style of representation, marked by exaggerated proportions, androgynous, sensual figures, and a predominantly monochromatic or minimalist palette—a choice he attributes to being “bad at colors.” While many critics have speculated that Kawashima’s paintings might all be variations of self-portraits, the artist offers a more nuanced view: “It wasn’t an ideological thing like a self-portrait. It felt more like painting a character. Rather than capturing someone’s likeness, I was creating my own character.” His work delves into themes of spirituality, mythical narratives, anxiety, depression, and isolation.