Sunny, Rainy,

biscuit gallery in Shoto, Shibuya Ward is pleased to announce a solo exhibition “Sunny, Rainy,” by Sawako Nasu, opening June 29, 2023 (Thursday).

《Sunny》2023, Oil on canvas, 803×530mm

In this exhibition “Sunny, Rainy,” Sawako Nasu presents a collection of paintings created in the highland region.

The ever-changing landscape of the highland region swept Nasu’s thoughts into a continuous flow, leading her to create this series of works.

All paintings displayed in the exhibition are titled either “Sunny” or “Rainy.” This symbolizes the connection between weather and human behavior. Throughout history, humans have organized their daily lives by classifying, naming, recording, and predicting weather. Nasu states, “The act of naming weather is a subtle resistance for us to survive our days, a standard that has been established.”

Within the changes spreading across this vast land, a vertical axis attempting to remain standing as a single entity is depicted throughout the paintings, continuing perpetually while repeating birth and weathering.

Taking as its theme the human struggle to come to terms with uncontrollable nature, new paintings are displayed alongside meticulously constructed spaces.

《Rainy》2023, Oil on canvas, 803×530mm

 

Artist Profile

Sawako Nasu

Born in Tokyo in 1996
Graduated from Tokyo University of the Arts, Department of Fine Arts, Oil Painting Major in 2021
Completed Master’s Program, Graduate School of Fine Arts, Oil Painting Studio I, Tokyo University of the Arts in 2023

Sawako Nasu speaks of distance, connection, and relationships through the language of painting. When reflecting on her practice, Nasu asks, “How can I touch paintings from the past?” At the foundation of her work lies a gaze toward the unbridgeable absolute distance that lies between the classical or modernist paintings she admires, their era, and herself as a contemporary person. This sensibility gives her art a thorough vision. Nasu’s approach to the possibilities of painting, contrasting the era of classical painting with the contemporary age to which she belongs, transcends the scope of her personal interests and can be said to embody a contemporary consciousness that explores what is possible at the cutting edge of art history, which is constantly being renewed.

For detailed profile, click here

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