2017
Contemporary Talents of Japan RONIN GALLERY
2017
Contemporary Talents of Japan
RONIN GALLERY 425 Madison Avenue, New York, NY 10017 RoninGallery.com The Largest Collection of Japanese Prints in the U.S. Japanese and East Asian Contemporary Art September 2017 © 2017 RONIN GALLERY All Rights Reserved (Front cover) Katsutoshi Yuasa, 2017 Artist-in-Residence. A Moment of Silence. 2013. Oil-based woodcut on paper. 53” x 24”. Ref. # JPR-73815
Japan’s Diverse Artistic Vanguard
4
roningallery.com | 212.688.0188
For over 40 years, Ronin Gallery has focused on bringing the best of Japanese art to the United States. In keeping with this tradition, Ronin Gallery seeks to nurture and promote the most exciting talents in contemporary Japanese art today. From unique woodblock prints to vivacious ink paintings, the second annual Contemporary Talents of Japan exhibition explores Japan’s diverse artistic vanguard. Featuring Katsutoshi Yuasa, the 2017 winner of the Ronin|Globus Artist-in-Residence Program, this exhibition considers an enduring aesthetic in the contemporary imagination. The theme of this year’s residency program is “Iki: Stylish, Simple, and Sophisticated.” The concept of iki defies translation, existing as a culturally embedded phenomenon in Japan. The tension between reality and unreality embodies this ethereal aesthetic concept developed by Edo’s urban merchant class during the Edo period (1603-1868). From simplicity to spontaneity, originality to directness, the qualities of iki are those that defined a true edokko or “child of Edo.” Iki continues to be a driving aesthetic concept, prevailing in its careful interplay between the romantic and the straightforward, the daring and the sophisticated. Famously articulated by Shuzo Kuki in 1930, the concept of iki presents a Japanese aesthetic ideal tied to human imagination, clarity, and style. From the streets of Edo to modern Tokyo, iki inspires and instills a distinct beauty. In his treatise The Structure of Iki, Kuki traces its origins to Edo’s demimonde. He argues that the phenomenon of iki was refined and expressed through the interactions within the pleasure quarter. Over the centuries, iki has
ABOUT THE RONIN|GLOBUS ARTIST-IN-RESIDENCE PROGRAM evolved as not only a powerful aesthetic concept, but also a way of being. Ronin Gallery grew from a love for the contemporary art of a time long past. During the Edo period, woodblock print artists broke from traditional painting to portray the vibrant world around them. Ukiyo-e, or pictures of the floating world, reacted to contemporary life. While what constitutes contemporary has dramatically changed since the Edo period, Japanese artists continue to capture contemporary culture in endlessly inventive and powerful ways. Over the years, Ronin Gallery has carefully developed a collection of Japanese art that stretches from the 17th century to today’s artistic vanguard. In recent years, contemporary Japanese art has captured the interest of collectors worldwide. Today’s artists are pushing limits and innovating techniques across mediums and styles. The annual Contemporary Talents of Japan exhibition presents some of Japan’s brightest artistic talents. Ronin Gallery is pleased to present this exhibition in conjunction with the Ronin|Globus Artist-in-Residence Program. On May 9th, a distinguished panel of judges chose Katsutoshi Yuasa as the 2017 Ronin|Globus Artist-in-Residence from over 50 talented applicants. Nao Morigo was named first runner up, and Asako Iwasawa and Yoshihito Kawase each received honorable mentions. The program judges were enchanted by Yuasa’s woodblock prints. Transforming his own digital photographs into woodblock prints, his work questions the line between the contemporaneity of photography and the tradition of woodblock printmaking.
The annual Ronin|Globus Artist-inResidence Program seeks to stimulate cross-cultural dialogue through Japan’s vanguard of visual art while providing an opportunity for emerging and midcareer Japanese visual artists to live, work, and exhibit in New York City. In addition to inclusion in Ronin Gallery’s annual Contemporary Talents of Japan exhibition, the winner receives a three-week stay at Globus Washitsu in central Manhattan, a tatami mat studio space, a stipend, and transportation between Tokyo and NYC. A panel consisting of museum curators, individual collectors, philanthropists, and experts on Japanese art selects the finalists. These judges possess extensive experience or education in the field paired with a sensitivity to the pulse of the contemporary Japanese art scene. A portion of the proceeds raised by this year’s exhibition will go to the Japan Society Gallery to further exhibitions of Japanese art. Many thanks this year’s judges—Nachi Das, Yasuko Harris, Tan Boon Hui, Yukie Kamiya, Mary Ann Roos, Johnny Strategy, Miwako Tezuka, and Katsura Yamaguchi— for their diligent consideration and invaluable expertise. Thank you to this year’s program ambassadors—Everett Brown, Kouji Hayashi, Hiroko Ishinabe, Joji Mita, Kyoko Sato, and “Oz” Keisuke Yamaguchi—for spreading the word about this opportunity. An especially warm thank you to Stephen Globus, whose collaboration makes this outstanding opportunity a reality. As the program enters its second year, we can not wait to see what the next year has in store.
roningallery.com | 212.688.0188
5
湯浅 克俊
Katsutoshi Yuasa 2017 Ronin|Globus Artist-in-Residence
Born in Tokyo in 1978, Katsutoshi Yuasa is a contemporary woodblock print artist. His work presents a conversation between the contemporaneity of photography and the tradition of woodblock printmaking. Each work begins with his own digital photographs, which he then reinterprets as woodblock prints. In his words, the camera creates “fictional two-dimensional information in the surface…I have decided to use the woodcut technique as a way of adapting the subjective per-
6
roningallery.com | 212.688.0188
ception to the objective fiction.” This interplay between the emotional and the factual—is neither reality nor fiction. Yuasa creates a “neutral space in a new dimension.” Yuasa received his BA in Fine Arts from Musashino Art University in 2002, where he studied painting and printmaking. He continued his study of printmaking in London, earning a MFA from the Royal College of Art in 2005. From MI-LAB to Musashino Art University, Yuasa has
taught, lectured, and led workshops throughout Europe and Asia. He has received numerous awards and scholarships, most recently, Grand Prize at the 2015 CWAJ 60th Anniversary Print Show. His work is actively exhibited in solo and group shows worldwide and resides in the permanent collections of prestigious institutions such as the Victoria & Albert Museum.
“neither reality nor fiction”
(Above) Listen, Nature is Full of Songs and Truth. 2012. Oil-based woodcut with pigment on paper. 24” x 95.25”. Ref. # JPR-73816.
roningallery.com | 212.688.0188
7
Remain. 2014. Acrylic on canvas. 51.25” × 35.5.” Ref. # JPR2-50179.
Q & A with Katsutoshi Yuasa, 2017 Ronin|Globus Artist-in-Residence Q: Your work presents a conversation between the contemporaneity of photography and the tradition of woodblock printmaking. In what ways does your work challenge either or both of these mediums? A: The woodcut is the oldest printmaking technique—it requires a long process of design, carving, and printing by hand. The original meaning of photography is a primitive light picture, where the camera captures the light. However, I lose the vague atmosphere and personal emotions in the photograph. Therefore, I cannot be satisfied with fictional, two— dimensional information in the surface of a photograph. I have decided to use the woodcut technique as a way of exposing photographic images, for adapting the subjective perception to the objective fiction. Q: A photograph is captured nearly instantaneously, while a woodblock print can take weeks to complete. What role does time play in your artistic process? A: After spending several weeks carving on plywood and printing on paper, the final result of my representation is already far away from the original. Large works can take over a month to carve. The resulting work is simultaneously not reality, but not fiction. It could be said that it presents the abstract reality because it contains both objective and subjective perceptions—the interactions between the light and me. Keeping the same nature is impossible, so I try to catch the current nature, the temporary state.
8
roningallery.com | 212.688.0188
Q: What is your personal understanding of iki? A: As the Japanese philosopher Shuzo Kuki described, iki has a threefold structure that represents the fusion of the “amorousness” (bitai), the “valor” (ikuji), and the “resignation” (akirame). But for me, iki is an attitude towards life that is shaped by the unpredictable and uncertain nature of society. A sense of aesthetic is nurtured in this uncertain space. In this space, between the use of manual and technological processes, iki can be embodied through practice. Q: You’ve established a truly international career, studying, exhibiting, and lecturing worldwide. How do you intend to use your time in New York this fall? A: I have an idea for new work that I would like to explore. An artist’s studio shows their aesthetic and real life better than their artwork. I’d like to visit artists’ studios, talk to the artists, and take pictures of their studios. I will use these images for a new project. I’m looking forward to seeing many artists in their New York studios. Q: What’s next for you? A: I am looking forward to my time in New York and interested to see what inspiration I draw from my trip. I am also excited to be working on my first textile collaboration. This autumn, Romo & Black Edition will release a collection based on my woodcut prints. In October, I will participate in several international group exhibitions.
Terje Vigen. 2016. Oil-based woodcut with pigment on paper. 39” x 58.75”. Ref. # JPR-73818.
roningallery.com | 212.688.0188
9
Sangenes Sang. 2015. Oil-based woodcut with pigment on paper. 39.25” x 78.25”. Ref. # JPR-73817.
Tokyo Story. 2013. Oil-based woodcut on hand-painted paper. 39.5” x 72”. Ref. # JPR-73814.
10
roningallery.com | 212.688.0188
A Moment of Silence. 2013. Oil-based woodcut on paper. 53” x 24”. Ref. # JPR-73815.
roningallery.com | 212.688.0188
11
森合那緒
Nao Morigo
2017 Ronin|Globus Artist-in-Residence First Runner Up Working in Kobe, Hyogo prefecture, Nao Morigo graduated from Kyoto Seika University where she majored in Western painting. She began figurative painting in 1991 before turning to more conceptual art by 1999. She melds her contemporary imagery with materials used in nihonga (Japanese-style painting), such as mineral pigments, powdered brass, pearl, and copper. As she breaks from the conventional techniques of these traditional materials, she considers the relationship between iki and time. Past and present intertwine in her most recent hanging scrolls. Challenging the dichotomy between crisp, geometrical white space and lavishly rendered paintings, Morigo walks the fine line between detail and simplicity. To her, the concept of iki is noble and refined, if somewhat lost in today’s world. She received an honorable mention in the 2016 Ronin|Globus Artistin-Residence Program.
12
roningallery.com | 212.688.0188
“To her, the concept of iki is noble and refined, if somewhat lost in today’s world.”
Pond. 2016. Brass, copper, etchant, yuzen Japanese paper on hemp paper board 8.75” × 11.” Ref. # JPR-73490.
roningallery.com | 212.688.0188
13
Suma : Battle of Ichi-no-Tani and now. 2016. Brass, copper, etchant, yuzen Japanese paper on echizen hemp paper board. 6.25” × 9.” Ref. # JPR-73371.
14
roningallery.com | 212.688.0188
Kyoto. 2016. Brass, copper, etchant, yuzen Japanese paper on hemp paper board. 5.5” × 7.” Ref. # JPR-73491.
roningallery.com | 212.688.0188
15
川瀬伊人
Yoshihito Kawase 2017 Ronin|Globus Artist-in-Residence Program Honorable Mention Born in Tokyo in 1973, today Yoshihito Kawase splits his time between Tokyo and Ibaraki. He completed his PhD in Japanese-style painting at Tokyo University of the Arts. In his most recent work, Kawase emphasizes the relationship between the image and the texture of the underlying materials that support it. In his words, “for a simple and intelligent composition, the margin plays an important role, comparable to a semiprotagonist rather than a supportive role.” The texture of the paper or silk is as important as the inks, metals, and paints that rest upon it. This interplay between subject and surface echoes Kawase’s understanding of iki. He finds the idea of iki to be a high-context culture, dependent on the interchange between the imagination of the viewer and the skill of the artist. Kawase’s work has been featured in solo and group shows throughout Japan and resides in permanent collections such as the Ibaraki Museum of Modern Art and the Tokugawa Art Museum. He was named first runner up in the 2016 Ronin|Globus Artist-in-Residence Program, recipient of the Yamatane Art Museum Nihonga Award, and winner of the 13th Sato International Culture Foundation Scholarship.
16
roningallery.com | 212.688.0188
“For a simple and intelligent composition, the margin plays an important role, comparable to a semi-protagonist rather than a supportive role.”
Dawn Blooming. 2016. Paper, foil, gold leaf, ink, rock paint. 35.75” x 18”. Ref. # JPR-73819.
Dawn Blooming II. 2016. Paper, foil, gold leaf, ink, rock paint. 17.75” x 12.75”. Ref. # JPR-73813.
roningallery.com | 212.688.0188
17
岩沢あさこ
Asako Iwasawa 2017 Ronin|Globus Artist-in-Residence Program Honorable Mention Born in Akabane, Tokyo, Asako Iwasawa is a contemporary painter. She graduated from Tama Art University’s Textile Design course before managing Design Studio Himiko. She later discovered a passion for kimono design and worked at the batik studio Kimono Studio Dye Laboratory. She spent 10 years living in the countryside, indulging her love for nature. Though she returned to the city, she brought the vivid world of insects, plants, and natural beauty back with her. In her words, “nature is full of thrills and wonders…it impresses me to no end and fuels my imagination.” Iwasawa looks beyond the physical reality of the natural world and portrays the spirit of nature in her paintings. As she treads the boundary between imagination and landscape, she challenges her viewers’ sense of place.
18
roningallery.com | 212.688.0188
“Nature is full of thrills and wonders…it impresses me to no end and fuels my imagination.”
Night Morning Glory. 2016. Acrylic on canvas. 40” x 29”. Ref. # JPR-73369.
roningallery.com | 212.688.0188
19
山口 佳祐
Keisuke Yamaguchi OZ
2016 Ronin|Globus Artist-in-Residence Keisuke Yamaguchi’s work blends traditional techniques with thoroughly modern imagery, considering the power of forces unseen, both natural and human. Born in Nagano Prefecture in 1986, Yamaguchi attended Nagano National College of Technology for Architecture in 2003. Following his graduation in 2007, he continued his education at Nagaoka Institute of Design, where he studied Architecture and the Environment. His focus has since shifted from architecture to painting. Yamaguchi has actively exhibited internationally since 2007. Last summer, he was selected as the inaugural winner of the 2016 Ronin|Globus Artistin-Residence Program. Yamaguchi often integrates process and product in his live painting performances. From the live painting at the ruins of Ueda Castle in Nagano to Central Park in New York City, Yamaguchi’s original technique draws and enchants crowds.
20
roningallery.com | 212.688.0188
“considering the power of forces unseen, both natural and human.”
Middle Scenery: Lake. 2016. Acrylic on canvas. 11” x 13.5”. Ref. # JPR2-52633.
Mountain Faith with 46 Trajectory: Soft Summer Breeze. 2016. Acrylic on canvas. 31.5” x 47.25.” Ref. # JPR2-56267.
roningallery.com | 212.688.0188
21
Invisible Faith. 2016. Acrylic on canvas. 31.5” x 47.25”. Ref. # JPR2-56255.
YAORAMUSUBI: The God in the Scroll. 2016. Acrylic on canvas. 31.5” x 47.25”. Ref. # JPR2-56270.
22
roningallery.com | 212.688.0188
Black Sense. 2016. Acrylic on canvas. 20” x 10”. Ref. # JPR2-56278.
roningallery.com | 212.688.0188
23
西元祐貴
Yuki Nishimoto 2016 Ronin|Globus Artist-in-Residence Finalist Born in Kagoshima in 1988, Yuki Nishimoto is a contemporary Japanese artist working in Tokyo. After teaching himself sumi-e painting, Nishimoto broke away from the limitations of traditional techniques. He uses sumi-e technique to capture contemporary Japanese culture. He states, “my work reflects the ‘lively movements’ of the unique world of black and white sumi-e, incorporating bold, fine, and delicate lines.” Nishimoto also brings an element of performance to his paintings, frequently creating his bold works in front of an audience. Nishimoto’s work has earned him wide acclaim. In 2012, he received the World’s Best Piece Award at Florida’s Embracing Our Differences contest. Two years later, he performed a live painting in Hong Kong that later sold at Christie’s. He has been featured on NHK and performed live paintings for Kyoto Daigoji live television show. In 2015, he exhibited work at the Kyushu National Museum’s 10th anniversary exhibition.
24
roningallery.com | 212.688.0188
“My work reflects the ‘lively movements’ of the unique world of black and white sumi-e. . .”
Transparent. 2017. Brush painting. 19.5” x 9.” Ref. # JPR-66718.
roningallery.com | 212.688.0188
25
Rising Tiger. 2017. Brush painting. 19.5” x 9”. Ref. # JPR-66725.
26
roningallery.com | 212.688.0188
Iki. 2017. Brush painting. 19.5” x 9”. Ref. # JPR-66727.
roningallery.com | 212.688.0188
27
参代目彫よし
HORIYOSHI III Ronin Contemporary Artist Horiyoshi III (b. 1946) is Japan’s preeminent master of tebori , or handtattooing. While the world of tattoo remains one of secrecy and exclusivity in Japan, Horiyoshi III has transcended taboo, achieving national and international fame. His works can be found in renowned collections worldwide, such as the Morikami Museum. Born Yoshihito Nakano, Horiyoshi III received his title from the late tebori master Yoshitsugu Muramatsu, known as Shodai Horiyoshi of Yokohama. Beginning at sixteen, Horiyoshi III served as Shodai Horiyoshi’s apprentice for ten years. Though ukiyo-e officially ended in 1868, Horiyoshi III carries on the spirit of Edo’s “pictures of the floating world” in his work, all the while incorporating his own style and a contemporary perspective. Horiyoshi III explains that his work embodies a commitment to three points: shu, to succeed to a tradition, ha, to add new concepts and techniques, and ri, to develop ha further and create one’s own world. As he explains, “I heavily felt the burden of my creative desire not to make drawings by just following the established images...Observance of tradition is definitely important, but it is also important to open doors to further development.”
28
roningallery.com | 212.688.0188
“Observance of tradition is definitely important, but it is also important to open doors to further development.”
Wave. 2017. Ink on paper, mounted on scroll. 52.5” x 17.5.” Ref. # JPR-65764.
roningallery.com | 212.688.0188
29
Speared. 2016. Brush painting with ink and blood. 17.75” x 25.” Ref. # JPR-65861.
30
roningallery.com | 212.688.0188
Dragon & Lightning: Descending. 2016. Ink on paper. 18.5” x 25.” Ref. # JPR-65867.
Dragon & Lightning: Ascending. 2016. Ink on paper. 18.5” x 25.” Ref. # JPR-65863.
roningallery.com | 212.688.0188
31
出口雄樹
YUKI IDEGUCHI Ronin Contemporary Artist Born in Fukuoka prefecture in 1986, Yuki Ideguchi received both a BFA (2007) and MFA (2013) in Japanese Painting from Tokyo University of the Arts. He blends traditional Japanese techniques with contemporary imagery and themes. Take, for example, his use of silver leaf. Rather than prepare the canvas with the expected blue undercoat, he paints the canvas a deep red, trading the coolness of traditional silver leaf for a palpable warmth. He has exhibited his work throughout Japan since 2008. In 2011, he participated in The Asian Students and Young Artists Art Fair, held in Seoul, and was featured in Asahi Shimbun’s Exhibition of Next Art. The following year, he received The Mitsubishi Corporation Art Gate Program scholarship. By 2014, Ideguchi became active in the international art scene, presenting his works in numerous international exhibitions, including the Exhibition of Selected Japanese Artists held in Paris. That same year, Ideguchi moved to New York and became an active member of the city’s artistic vanguard.
32
roningallery.com | 212.688.0188
“Even the traditional techniques become his own, adapted to the contemporary climate.”
Seeing the Waterfall of Mount Lu. 2017. Newspaper, gesso, ink stick, acrylic paint, spray paint. 67” × 16.5.” Ref. # JPR-73571.
roningallery.com | 212.688.0188
33
Hokusai-Sensei (Teacher Hokusai) from the series Even though the World has Changed... 2017. Painting on paper. 33” × 9.” Ref. #JPR-73573.
34
roningallery.com | 212.688.0188
(From Top, Clockwise) All from the series Color Studies. 2016. Acrylic on canvas. 6” × 6” x 1”. Lobster. Ref. # JPR2-58870. Lilies. Ref. # JPR2-58851. Shi. Ref. # JPR2-58868. Grasshopper. Ref. # JPR2-58836.
roningallery.com | 212.688.0188
35
玉井 祥子
CYOKO TAMAI 2014 Japan Society Artist-in-Residence & Ronin Contemporary Artist Cyoko Tamai was born in Kochi Prefecture. She graduated from Tokyo University of the Arts with a BFA in Music and an MFA in Japanese Painting. Her work combines unique techniques, a musical sensibility, and traditional Japanese materials, resulting in ethereal and compelling images. Using a finepointed steel pen, Cyoko deconstructs and rebuilds: she tears, scratches, and rips incredibly strong Japanese washi paper made by National Living Treasure Sajio Hamada and his wife Setsuko. Breaks and incisions leap beyond the paper’s surface, while choice individual fibers defy gravity, coaxed from the paper to form an ephemeral gauze. “The major theme of my works is to capture life that is unexplained and invisible, working under the hypothesis that each space has a certain life to it.” Tamai’s work has been featured in over a dozen solo and group exhibitions. She was the 2014 Japan Society Artist-inResidence and featured in multiple one woman shows at Ronin Gallery. She is the recipient of several grants from the Sato International Cultural Foundation and the recipient of the Ataka Award. Her work can be found in the permanent collection of the Muscarelle Museum of Art and the Morikami Museum.
36
roningallery.com | 212.688.0188
“To capture life that is unexplained and invisible, working under the hypothesis that each space has a certain life to it. ”
NY Portrait 5 from the series NY Portrait. 2015. Ink on japanese paper. 25” × 25.” Ref. # JPR2-23991.
roningallery.com | 212.688.0188
37
RONIN GALLERY 425 Madison Avenue New York, NY 10017 212.688.0188 www.roningallery.com ronin@roningallery.com Chairman: Herbert Libertson President: David Libertson Executive Director: Roni Neuer Director: Tomomi Seki Assistant Director: Travis Suzaka Gallery Associate: Sayaka Ueno Research Associate: Madison Folks
RONINGALLERY 425 Madison Ave. New York, NY 10017 The Largest Collection of Japanese Prints in the U.S. Japanese and East Asian Contemporary Art