Yukimasa Ida “Portraits”
I visited Yukimasa Ida’s solo exhibition “Portraits.”
The venue was “Ginza Tsutaya Books GINZA ATRIUM” on the 6th floor of GINZA SIX.
It had been some time since Ida’s last solo exhibition, so I was looking forward to it.
For domestic exhibitions, this was his first solo show since Nowfu Contemporary in October 2017 and Shibuya Seibu in January 2018.
Since his last solo exhibition, he was selected as one of Forbes JAPAN’s “30 UNDER 30 JAPAN” and has grown into a painter drawing attention from overseas.
In addition to his increased visibility, “GINZA SIX,” the commercial facility hosting this exhibition, is a building in the very heart of Ginza, Tokyo. It’s likely to draw more viewers than any previous exhibition and be the most talked-about show. In fact, when I visited, a variety of visitors were gathered, including young Japanese and Chinese tour groups.
The venue “GINZA ATRIUM” is centrally located on the floor, making it a natural gathering place. Moreover, its design allows works to be seen from outside the space, so even large works can be glimpsed from beyond. It’s an exhibition with attractive drawing power that seems to pull in visitors who came for the bookstore.
As the title suggests, this exhibition is centered on “portraits,” which are the most emblematic of Ida’s works.
As a self-proclaimed fan of Yukimasa Ida, I understand that portraits form the core of Ida’s works, and I believe they deserve significant attention.
Upon entering the venue, the first thing that catches the eye is a wall display of four large works in a row.
One of the joys of Ida’s work is that his best pieces are his largest, and I found myself immersed in appreciation for some time.
Among the four large works, two portraits each of Andy Warhol and Basquiat were on display.
Up close, the beautifully applied paint creates a matière that sends thrills down the spine.
The brushstrokes seem to draw intuitive trajectories, yet the way the paint blends feels meticulously calculated. His beautiful artistic sensibility and technique remind me once again of his exceptional talent.
The similar Andy Warhol works don’t show major differences in color, but the brushwork differs, giving an impression of interweaving softness and strength.
All four works were splendid in their finish.
End of today series
The F4-size End of today series is accessible for collectors and is his signature work, but new landscape works have appeared, expanding his range. The portraits included pieces with a slightly different taste — perhaps influenced by his travels abroad. If landscapes are appearing, I would have loved to see Flowers too…
Perhaps there was a waiting list, as the major works including the large ones appeared to have been pre-sold.
For collectors, he’s one of the artists you want to obtain, but even for available works, prices have risen significantly. Prices seem to have gone up several times over the past two years.
Beyond thick paint applications, as seen in “End of today -1/3/2019 woman,” the thinly painted work’s matière is extraordinarily beautiful, revealing an expression not seen in his previous works.
Perhaps helped by the natural light streaming in, the paint’s color was vibrant, and the flowing brushstrokes were superb.
Also, the overwhelming matière shown in “pope” is magnificent. Complex colors left by repeated brushstrokes fill the canvas, presenting an expression unlike any other displayed work.
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Silkscreen
The silkscreen works, exhibited for the first time in this show, felt distinctively Ida-like in being printed on canvas.
One of the two works exhibited, titled “Jorgen,” was likely modeled after the Swedish photographer Jorgen Axelvall.
The matière is silkscreen printed on canvas. Beautifully printed.
Jorgen Axelvall also appears to be involved in shooting the following kind of video.
https://www.odalisquemagazine.com/articles/2019/05/28/yukimasa-ida-jorgen-axelvall-video-by
The other work, “Basqui at Portrait,” was S8 size.
Both silkscreen works were sold out by opening day.
I was honestly surprised that Ida, known for thick paint application, produced silkscreen works.
Sculpture
Three sculpture works were also on display.
Bronze statues of Basquiat, Bacon, and himself as models. *Edition works.
Forms reminiscent of Ida’s paintings — magnificent works, including the price…
Perhaps blessed with fortunate timing during my visit, despite it being the rainy season, the weather was favorable, and dazzling sunlight streamed in, illuminating the GINZA ATRIUM exhibition space.
As if pointing to the future path of a young painter heading from Japan to the world, the space was filled with bright, brilliant light.
His future is exciting — a promising young painter set to launch from Japan onto the world stage. I can only look forward to his continued activity.
