Akiyoshi Nakamura combines different varieties of paper into thick, almost sculptural collages. The subsequent artworks have earned high praise for their traditional decorative patterns and pop style. In this new exhibition, the artist will prepare for the new year with works that feature the animal from next year’s Chinese Zodiac, the mighty dragon, as a motif. We hope you look forward to seeing these unique, vibrantly colored collages that combine power and intimacy.
Sengyoku: Black Dragon
2023
h107×w60×d2.5 cm
paper, Tosa-washi paper, metal
Rather than use paint or brushes, I create my artworks by cutting, pasting, tearing and mixing strips of paper.
Compared to other varieties of paper, washi’s flexibility enables a wide range of possibilities and I can’t help but feel that there are still more to be explored. In the field of works on paper, washi is respected worldwide as a traditional Japanese product and for me, it is both an irreplaceable tool and an essential element of my identity.
I have depicted mysterious beasts many times throughout my career as a “paper artist.”
That the texture, color, and patterns of Japanese paper have sublimated so deeply into such motifs is, I feel, due to the uniquely Japanese arrangements, compositions, and ideas that have been passed down since ancient times.
In addition, the dragon motif seen in this exhibition has an immeasurably long history, and dragons themselves have often been worshipped as envoys of the Gods, making them a universal “image” and “symbol” of prayer.
Rendered with all the knowledge, materials, and techniques at my disposal, it serves as the form and embodiment of my inner prayers for a chaotic world.
– The Black Dragon ascends with an envious gaze upward, reflecting the lonely sparkle of the bejeweled golden moon –
Don’t miss this opportunity to see this illusory beast — the black dragon — brought to life as a paper collage.
08/12/2023(fri) - 20/12/2023(wed)
11:00-17:00※ Open by appointment only on Saturdays.
※ Closed on Sundays and holidays.
Please contact us from here for appointment and any further enquiries.