I visited Kunihiko Nohara’s solo exhibition “Tonight, a Party at the Bookstore.”
As the title suggests, the venue is “GINZA ATRIUM,” the gallery inside Ginza Tsutaya Books on the sixth floor of GINZA SIX.
Kunihiko Nohara is a wood sculptor who renders gentle motifs in soft coloration.
Many of his works take on rounded shapes reminiscent of fluffy clouds, leaving a lasting impression of warm, tactile surfaces.
The processes leading up to the finished wood carvings are also presented as works in themselves, offering a glimpse of how each piece comes together.
The 2018 new work “PARTY” and several other large-scale pieces command the space, but it was the small works with their distinctive forms that lingered in memory.
Set in a high-ceilinged, open space, the exhibition was arranged to let viewers walk around each work — a genuinely well-considered installation.
Cappuccino appears repeatedly throughout the show — a frog-plus-cappuccino “Kaeru-chino,” a bear-plus-cappuccino “Kuma-chino,” and so on.
I had the chance to speak with a gallerist from his representing gallery, “gallery UG.” She explained the works with great clarity, and also spoke about how the works themselves are handled.
They keep thorough provenance records and handle everything, including repurchases and maintenance, with real care. It struck me as a gallery that is genuinely conscientious toward both artist and collector. Works owned by fellow collectors of mine were also on view, and it was heartening to see the artist and collectors continuing their relationships through these solo exhibitions.
And apologies for making you pose, Mr. Nohara…
After this show, a follow-up solo exhibition was held that included the works produced live on site.
Please see the link below.
