Azamino Contemporary is a series of exhibitions that focus on the artistic practices across genres that defy the boundaries of visual art and prescriptive social norms. This 10th edition presents works by five artists, who use painting as the method to explore the actualities of painting.
The exhibition examines current works by the artists as individual gestures that stem from “realities” existing outside of painting. The artists in this exhibition attempt to keep their paintings connected to the shifting realities of the everyday, and they make continuous efforts to maintain a tension between inside and outside painting. While being exposed to a tremendous amount of images circulating on mass media and on the Internet today, how much reality can we sense in the marks and strokes left onto a surface by the artists? The history of painting also informs us its inherent pictorial techniques such as perspectives and chiaroscuro enabled artists to create fictional worlds on a two-dimensional surface, which do not necessarily correspond to the reality that we visually perceive.
By using the term “square” to refer to canvas commonly used as a support medium to paint, the exhibition aims to analyze practices of five artists to explore relationships between painting and reality –an act of painting, physicality, expressed reality, fictional reality. How do expressions of individual realities accumulate on a squared field? How do they connect / try to connect with the world outside the painting and viewers? The exhibition addresses probing questions about the actuality of painting as a medium.
Born in Tokyo in 1982. Kamo Akira completed Graduate School of Fine Arts, Tokyo University of the Arts ,majoring in Painting in 2010. After the 3.11 earthquake, Kamo began to approach “painting” as a synonym of “survival”. By weaving together imaginations and actual events, he creates paintings that visualize “I” and “society” in relation to each other. Selected solo exhibitions include: “Wind Blowing Through Boundary” (LOKO GALLERY, Tokyo, 2019), “Vicarious Scene” (Maruki Gallery for The Hiroshima Panels, Saitama, 2018) and “Portrait of the Scene” (Tsunagi Art Museum, Kumamoto, 2017). Selected group exhibition include: “Past, Present, Future – Like Imagining a Constellation” (Tokyo Metropolitan Art Museum, Tokyo, 2019).
水野 里奈 Mizuno Rina [Lives and Works in Aichi]
1989年愛知県生まれ。2014年多摩美術大学大学院美術研究科修士課程絵画専攻油画領域修了。主な個展に「思わず、たち止まざるをえない。」(ポーラミュージアムアネックス/東京、2019)、「ARKO2017 水野里奈」(大原美術館/岡山、2017)など。主なグループ展に「Eyes & Curiosity—Flowers in the Field」(Mizuma Gallery/シンガポール、2019)、「片山正道的百科全書」(東京オペラシティアートギャラリー/東京、2017)、「あいちトリエンナーレ2013」企画コンペ(ARTISANビル/愛知、2013)など。主な受賞にVOCA奨励賞(2015)など。
Born in Aichi in 1989. Mizuno Rina completed Graduate School of Tama Art University, majoring in Oil Painting in 2014. Selected recent solo exhibitions include: “Without thinking, stopped” (Pola Museum Annex, Tokyo, 2019) and “ARKO 2017 Rina MIZUNO (Ohara Museum of Art, Okayama, 2017). Selected group exhibitions include: Eyes & Curiosity—Flowers in the Field (Mizuma Gallery, Singapore, 2019), “The Encyclopedia of Masamichi Katayama ‘Life is hard…Let’s go shopping.’” (Tokyo Opera City Art Gallery, Tokyo, 2017) and Aichi Triennale 2013 (ARTISAN-building, Aichi, 2013) as winner of the planning competition. Selected award include: Mention award for VOCA 2015.
Born in Aichi in 1987. Yokono Asuka completed Graduate School of Fine Arts, Aichi University of the Arts, majoring in Oil Painting and Woodcut Printing in 2013. She received The 30th HOLBEIN Scholarship in 2015. Selected recent solo exhibitions include: “Combination” (See Saw gallery+hibit, Aichi, 2018), “Inconvenient Sight” (GALLERY ZERO, Osaka, 2018) and “TERRAIN” (GALLERY ZERO, Osaka, 2017). Selected group exhibitions include: “The Vision of Contemporary Art 2016” (The Ueno Royal Museum, Tokyo, 2016) and “The Way of PAINTING” (Tokyo Opera City Art Gallery, Tokyo, 2014).
松本 奈央子 Matsumoto Naoko [Lives and Works in Saitama]
1987年栃木県生まれ。2012年多摩美術大学美術学部絵画学科油画専攻卒業。2017-2018年文化庁新進芸術家海外研修員としてミュンスター芸術大学(ドイツ)クラウス・メルケル教授に師事。主な個展に「on the way」(ミュンスター芸術大学/ミュンスター、2018)、グループ展に「広くて静かで頭の働く場所」(フォーラム・アート・ショップギャラリー/東京、2015)、「素晴らしい人」(アキバタマビ21/東京、2014)など。主な受賞歴として、福沢一郎賞(2012)、トーキョーワンダーウォール賞(2011)など。
Born in Tochigi in 1987. Matsumoto Naoko graduated from Tama Art University, majoring in Oil Painting in 2012. Scholarship student in Prof. Klaus Merkel’s class at Academy of Fine Arts Muenster, Germany, 2017-2018, with the grant for “ the Program of Overseas Study for Upcoming Artists” awarded by the Agency for Cultural Affairs of the Japanese government. Selected recent exhibitions include: “on the way” (Academy of Fine Arts Muenster, Muenster, 2018), “An open place. A quiet place. A stimulating place.” (Forum Art Shop Gallery, Tokyo, 2015), and “Wonderful People” (Akibatamabi21, Tokyo, 2014). Awards won: Fukuzawa Ichiro Award (2012) and Tokyo Wonder Wall Award (2011).
山岡 敏明 Yamaoka Toshiaki [Lives and Works in Osaka]
1972年 大阪府生まれ。1995年 東京造形大学卒業。ある種の示唆的な構造を孕んだフォルムの総体を「GUTIC(グチック)」と仮称し、現実と地続きの世界に「あったかもしれない可能性」としてのカタチを偏執的に探り続ける。主な個展に「STREET GUTIC STUDIO」(STREET GALLERY/兵庫、2019)、「GUTIC i was born」 (Gallery PARC/京都、2017)、「GUTIC STUDY」 (ギャラリー・ハシモト/東京、2017)など。主なグループ展に「アートプログラム青梅」(BOX KI-O-KU/東京、2012)、「Mirage」(同志社大学/京都、2009)など。
Born in Osaka in 1972. Yamaoka Toshiaki graduated from Tokyo Zokei University in 1995. He temporarily names the aggregation of the forms, which have a kind of suggestive structure, as “GUTIC”, and continues to obsessively search for such forms as “the possibility that may have existed” in the real world. Selected recent solo exhibitions include: “STREET GUTIC STUDIO” (STREET GALLERY, Hyogo, 2019), “GUTIC i was born” (Gallery PARC, Kyoto, 2017) and “GUTIC STUDY” (GALLERY HASHIMOTO, Tokyo, 2017). Selected group exhibitions include: “10th ART PROGRAM OME” (BOX KI-O-KU , Tokyo, 2012) and “Mirage” (Doshisha University, Kyoto, 2009).
Yokohama Civic Art Gallery Azamino [Yokohama Arts Foundation]
Art Forum Azamino, 1-17-3 Azamino-Minami, Aoba-ku, Yokohama, Kanagawa, JAPAN 225-0012
Tel. +81-45-910-5656 Fax. +81-45-910-5674