Summer Homework : Natsuko Sakamoto's Painting Assignment
Mr. Atsushi Shinfuji and Mr. Yoichi Umetsu will be invited to the "Tiles | Signals ─ unexpected dimensions" exhibition for a three-person talk event together with exhibiting artist Natsuko Sakamoto.
Ms. Sakamoto has always been seeking new methodologies in her paintings without sticking to the works that have been defined as her usual style. In her last solo exhibition in 2019, the narrative that had characterized her paintings up to that point was greatly transformed by abstract motifs, but in this exhibition, she presents more abstract paintings. In her email correspondence with Mr. Atsushi Shinfuji included in the exhibition booklet, she also explores the reasons for this change.
In this talk, Ms. Sakamoto will give an explanation of her latest works, and the discussion that could not be contained in the correspondence will be used as a starting point to delve into the issues of Ms. Sakamoto's paintings. She will do so along with Mr. Umetsu as well, with whom she worked together in the past at Parplume.
From an art historical perspective and from an artist's point of view, what does Ms. Sakamoto's current work look like?
Although each of them have had dialogues or correspondence with one another, this will be the first talk event among the three of them. This is a special event for those who are interested in art and painting, as well as those who are familiar with Ms. Sakamoto's works. Please come to the gallery.
~Comment on the talk by Natsuko Sakamoto~
"Painting is also about continuing to solve a never-ending problem.
Sometimes I receive seeds for my next challenge from my own paintings or those of past artists.
In the process of painting, seeds of other challenges are also born.
Some of them are about the shapes in the paintings, and others are about the themes.
They overlap and are caught up in the paint in a chain.
There may be things in them that are not visible to the person who painted them.
I had an e-mail correspondence with Mr. Shinfuji before the exhibition was completed, and we had a dialogue about the paintings in this exhibition, including those that have not been completed yet, so I would like to resume the conversation.
It has been a long time since Mr. Umetsu and I collaborated on an oil painting, around 2013, and it has been a while since we have talked about a specific painting. I look forward to a discussion between the three of us about painting and future projects."
Date:
August 5 (Sat.)
Ms. Sakamoto has always been seeking new methodologies in her paintings without sticking to the works that have been defined as her usual style. In her last solo exhibition in 2019, the narrative that had characterized her paintings up to that point was greatly transformed by abstract motifs, but in this exhibition, she presents more abstract paintings. In her email correspondence with Mr. Atsushi Shinfuji included in the exhibition booklet, she also explores the reasons for this change.
In this talk, Ms. Sakamoto will give an explanation of her latest works, and the discussion that could not be contained in the correspondence will be used as a starting point to delve into the issues of Ms. Sakamoto's paintings. She will do so along with Mr. Umetsu as well, with whom she worked together in the past at Parplume.
From an art historical perspective and from an artist's point of view, what does Ms. Sakamoto's current work look like?
Although each of them have had dialogues or correspondence with one another, this will be the first talk event among the three of them. This is a special event for those who are interested in art and painting, as well as those who are familiar with Ms. Sakamoto's works. Please come to the gallery.
~Comment on the talk by Natsuko Sakamoto~
"Painting is also about continuing to solve a never-ending problem.
Sometimes I receive seeds for my next challenge from my own paintings or those of past artists.
In the process of painting, seeds of other challenges are also born.
Some of them are about the shapes in the paintings, and others are about the themes.
They overlap and are caught up in the paint in a chain.
There may be things in them that are not visible to the person who painted them.
I had an e-mail correspondence with Mr. Shinfuji before the exhibition was completed, and we had a dialogue about the paintings in this exhibition, including those that have not been completed yet, so I would like to resume the conversation.
It has been a long time since Mr. Umetsu and I collaborated on an oil painting, around 2013, and it has been a while since we have talked about a specific painting. I look forward to a discussion between the three of us about painting and future projects."
Date:
August 5 (Sat.)
Time:
18:00 - 20:00
Guests:
Atsushi Shinfuji
Yoichi Umetsu
Venue: Kanda & Oliveira, 3F
Language: Japanese
Reservations are not required.
Please note that this event will be recorded but will not be uploaded online.
Atsushi Shinfuji
Yoichi Umetsu
Venue: Kanda & Oliveira, 3F
Language: Japanese
Reservations are not required.
Please note that this event will be recorded but will not be uploaded online.
Guests Profile
Atsushi Shinfuji
Born in 1982. Senior researcher at the National Museum of Western Art.
Major exhibition projects (including co-curation) include
2014-15 "Ferdinand Hodler: Towards Rythmic Images"
2015 "No Museum, No Life?"
2016-17 "Lucas Cranach the Elder: 500 Years of the Power of Temptation"
2018-19 Special Exhibition "Richter｜Courbet"
2021 "When Here and Afar Meet: Western Art in Yamagata"
Co-author of
Print Graphography" (Arina Shobo), "ラムからマトン" (Art Diver),
Vienna: The Dream that Dwells in Total Art" (Chikurinsha), "The Challenge of the German Renaissance" (Tokyo Bijutsu), etc.
Vienna: The Dream that Dwells in Total Art" (Chikurinsha), "The Challenge of the German Renaissance" (Tokyo Bijutsu), etc.
Yoichi Umetsu
Born in 1982. Artist.
He tackles the fundamental questions of "What is art?" and "What is creation?" from various angles.
He has produced paintings and videos documenting performances, and is the leader of the art collective Parplume. He also runs a non-profit gallery, curates, and writes essays.
Recent solo exhibitions
2023 "See you in front of the press: A story of printmaking, a rendezvous between an artist and a craftsman," NADiff a/p/a/r/t, Tokyo, Japan
2023 "Fair Trade: about the Contemporary Art Industry and the Ceramic Industry," Kanda & Oliveira, Chiba, Japan
2022 "Green Sun and Renkon-Shaped Moon", Taka Ishii Gallery, Tokyo, Japan
2022 Ceramics and Art," gallery KOHARA and others, Shiga, Japan
2021 "Polinator", Watari-um Museum of Contemporary Art, Tokyo, Japan
2021 "Heisei mood", Sokyo Gallery, Kyoto, Japan
2023 "Fair Trade: about the Contemporary Art Industry and the Ceramic Industry," Kanda & Oliveira, Chiba, Japan
2022 "Green Sun and Renkon-Shaped Moon", Taka Ishii Gallery, Tokyo, Japan
2022 Ceramics and Art," gallery KOHARA and others, Shiga, Japan
2021 "Polinator", Watari-um Museum of Contemporary Art, Tokyo, Japan
2021 "Heisei mood", Sokyo Gallery, Kyoto, Japan
Major group exhibitions in recent years
2023 "World Classroom: Contemporary Art through School Subjects", Mori Art Museum, Tokyo, Japan
2021 "Bubbles / Debris: Art of the Heisei Period 1989–2019”, Kyocera Museum of Art, Kyoto, Japan
2023 "World Classroom: Contemporary Art through School Subjects", Mori Art Museum, Tokyo, Japan
2021 "Bubbles / Debris: Art of the Heisei Period 1989–2019”, Kyocera Museum of Art, Kyoto, Japan
Publications
"ラムからマトン" (Art Diver)
"Pollinator" (Bijutsu Shuppansha)
"ラムからマトン" (Art Diver)
"Pollinator" (Bijutsu Shuppansha)
July 30, 2023