Born in 1932 in Miyagi Prefecture. In 1963, he was introduced to Nam June Paik by Hideo Uchida, who is known for the invention of the transistor. Since then, he provided technical support in the creation of Paik’s artworks, including Robot K-456, Participation TV and Paik-Abe Video Synthesizer. During Paik’s lifetime and since his death, Abe has maintained and improved Paik’s works, especially those created in the 1960s and 70s. Video available for screening.

In the early 1970s, Hagiwara visited New York, where he engaged with the experimental video art community and connected with influential artists like Nam June Paik and Jonas Mekas. He explored video techniques influenced by music production methods. His film KIRI gained recognition, marking his impact on the evolving video art scene. Video available per request.

The interview with Shuya Abe, conducted by Mihoko Nishikawa in Tokyo, explores Abe’s contributions to video art, particularly his collaborations with Shigeko Kubota and Nam June Paik. Abe reflects on his role in filming Kubota’s Self-Portrait, noting differences between his version and later adaptations. He discusses Paik’s use of his portable synthesizer in the 1970s and details the technical processes behind video noise effects, particularly in Kubota’s Window piece. The conversation highlights Abe’s technical expertise, his influence on pioneering video art, and the tensions between artistic vision and technological execution .Transcript available.