In 2024, Mitsuzuka participated in the "Hakamaru Art Project" conducted by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry in 12 cities and towns in Hamadori, Fukushima Prefecture, and covered the areas surrounding the region where evacuation orders are still in place.
His representative series of works, "unsent memories," was created in his Chiba studio based on this on-site research. The "unsent memories" in the title are also an attempt to shed light on the information gap surrounding the nuclear accident.
Mitsuzuka's works consistently question the structure and rationality behind "not knowing" and "not being informed." This is probably not unrelated to the presence of his father, who was involved in atomic research.
Even with such an approach, Mitsuzuka's works are never dark and closed off. There is depth in the pale overlapping colors, and a tranquil yet somehow sacred landscape unfolds. This is probably due to his delicate will to grab hope even from sadness.
At a time when the role and raison d'?tre of art is in disarray, his work reminds us of the primordial power of art: how it can evoke the viewer's memories, stimulate the imagination, and quietly illuminate what lies beneath the surface.