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Chimeric Sculpture Expressions
Exhibition "Chimeric Sculpture Expressions" the Japanese chief curator of the show Shinpei Okada himself, performed an amazing tour for our guests, explaining his curatorial concept and the unique artistry of six Japanese artists. We appreciate all the support and your keen passion for art. The term "Chimera" originates from Greek mythology, referring to a fantastical creature containing different biological genes, likewise, these six Japanese artists transcend traditional art forms and diverse elements from different culture, ultimately transform their creations into unique Japanese contemporary sculpture.
Yoshiyuki OOE (b.1980)
OOE shows a series of artworks featuring children wearing gymnastics suits, capturing memories of different eras in innocent ages, and infusing with various culture symbols such as skulls, insects, and animals. Departed from their original narrative contexts, OOE employs collage to showcase relationships among subjects, and inspire the audience to break the established thinking pattern, rewriting their own stories.
Manabu HASEGAWA (b.1973)
HASEGAWA applys the “frottage”techniques to create works spanning both two and three dimensions. Starting 2011, the artist began having military weapons as the subject, juxtaposing the stark, cold cultural context of knives and guns against the fragility of pencil and paper. The irreversible pain of the war, with the flexibility of the medium, leads viewers to reconsider power dynamics in society through new lens.
Kazuma KOIKE (b.1980)
The artist spent childhood in Buenos Aires, Argentina, and high school in Barcelona, Spain. Influenced by island culture and animistic beliefs, he integrates Eastern and Western cultures, utilizing black ceramics—a common medium in traditional rituals—to create artworks. His motif revolves around "fictional ancient artifacts", collaging imagery from different eras. His creations resemble the collective subconscious traveling through distant time and space, regaining a body in the soil, sand and the hands of the artist.
Gensho SUGAHARA (b.1993)
As a "digital native" surrounded by various digital products while growing up, SUGAHARA’s oeuvres emphasize subtle textures, tactile sensations, and anonymity. The exhibited works are all in shades of gray, symbolizing liminal zones, eliminating identifiable characteristics. He integrates scenes of contemporary consumerism into the texture of sculptures, delineating the human body of contemporary society and attempting to embody the fleeting changes and instability of reality in today's world through the hidden textures and tactile sensations in his artistic expressions.
Sen TAKAHASHI (b.1992)
The "Cast and Rot" series exhibited this time showcase carrots conserved using traditional techniques to preserve bronze sculptures. He examines the preservation and decay of materiality over time by placing bronze sculptures and carrots on the same timeline. Ultimately, it points to the core question: What is lost, and what remains?
