3331 Arts Chiyoda
I went to see the “Existence and Realization” exhibition being held at “Akibatamabi21,” located inside 3331 Arts Chiyoda, just a short walk from Suehirocho Station. “Existence and Realization” is an exhibition by four artists working in Japanese-style painting, sculpture, and craft.
Existence and Realization -how to feel the existence-
The venue was made up of two separate classrooms, and with such roomy spaces, visitors too could take their time and relax.
The work titled “Layer,” painted with pigments on silk organza, is by Kaori Aoki.
Look closely and you’ll see that the organza is arranged in two layers, front and back, creating depth while at the same time giving a three-dimensional impression. It has a sense of movement, like jellyfish drifting through the water.
Anri Katsuki’s work makes full, uninhibited use of the space, stirring the imagination.
Because the piece is pure black, you can’t help wanting to set something down on it.
Kai Ando presents a cube assembled from what looked like iron. Under the lighting, all sorts of shadows nestle up against the work.
This writer’s favorite was Ai Kumehara. Her use of color is so beautiful and gentle that it’s soothing. Her major work is a folding-screen painting of plum blossoms.
The white plum blossoms use a complex array of colors, yet the work still feels wonderfully unified. The colors were truly lovely.
The red plum blossoms bloom in a fuller glory than I’ve ever actually seen in real life. I’d love someone to take me to a place like that.
Even the smaller works seem to pack a great deal of information into their limited space.
Every one of them was a work with real presence, and it was an exhibition where you could feel the power of the artists. Existence, and the sense of it, are indeed something you can grasp here.
I left the venue in a wonderfully pleasant frame of mind.
