Hiroka Yamashita “Ephemerality”
I visited Hiroka Yamashita’s preview solo exhibition “Ephemerality.” The venue is THE CLUB, a gallery inside GINZA SIX.
This exhibition was hastily organized after the cancellation of Art Fair Tokyo 2020. Because of the response to the coronavirus, the show was moved to an appointment-only format, which sadly limited its exposure to a wider public — but I was able to view a truly wonderful set of works.
Immediately after graduating from high school, Hiroka Yamashita moved to the United States, studied at an art school in New York, completed her master’s degree last year, and made her solo debut at the Berlin gallery Tanya Leighton.
Sanya Kantarovsky, an artist who is also represented by Tanya Leighton, is known to be a passionate admirer of her work.
Oil on canvas, 139.3 x 121.3 cm
Although only six works were on view, each was a large piece with real presence, making for a memorable occasion. Perhaps because of her long time abroad, her paintings evoke a sensibility associated with Western painters. The way she constructs her compositions, the mysterious presence of her subjects, and the translucent quality of the paint surface all left a lasting impression.
Hiroka Yamashita has since returned from abroad and is now working in Beppu.
Tanya Leighton is also reportedly planning to present her work at Art Basel in Basel, making her a young artist to watch.
