Takao Ono Exhibition
I visited the Takao Ono Exhibition being held at Miurajiro Gallery.
It is an exhibition that grew out of Miurajiro Gallery’s wish: “We want people to get to know the artist Takao Ono.”
Takao Ono is a painter who has lived in Italy since 1971 and continues to work there.
He graduated from the painting department of the Central Institute for Restoration in Rome (Istituto Centrale del Restauro).
Until 1985 he was also involved in restoring paintings held by museums throughout Italy as well as church murals.
Unlike portraits that depict real, existing people, Ono’s paintings might best be described as figure paintings rendered freely through the painter’s own sensibility. By contrast, in his strange still lifes — where only hats, shoes, and garments are painted as a single motif — an eerie sense of loss is implied, a projection of the absence of the human being.
For this exhibition, we mainly present works produced from the 1970s to the 1990s held by our gallery and by the collector Kiyoshi Koizumi.
I first came to know Takao Ono’s work at Kiyoshi Koizumi’s collection exhibition; captivated by the overwhelming power of the works, I found myself deeply drawn to them — and that was how it all began.
https://art-on.jp/collector-kiyoshi-koizumi-2018/
The work that impressed me most that day was “The Calendar with the Dates Erased.” The lines of the body and clothing are kept to a minimum, and the colors used are few, so at first glance the palette looks plain — yet a profound, indescribable atmosphere flows through it.
The colors are very gentle and the brushwork careful. He is an artist with a proven track record, having been active in Italy as a restorer.
In closing
The number of works may have been small, but it was a precious opportunity to slowly take in the portraits that are Takao Ono’s true forte.
This exhibition was realized thanks in part to Mr. Koizumi’s cooperation. It was a wonderful occasion. Jiro Miura of Miurajiro Gallery also offered his commentary with exquisite timing, making for a supremely comfortable time. Many thanks!
