KOSAKU KANECHIKA is pleased to present works by five artists – Junko Oki, Takuro Kuwata, Ataru Sato, Noritaka Tatehana, Ruby Neri – at Art Fair Tokyo 2021 from March 11 to March 13, 2021.

Junko Oki engraves stories of life onto textiles, with each stitch placed meticulously by hand. Without the guide of an underdrawing, she creates unique motifs and patterns by freehand stitching and by rejecting the structured tradition of embroidery. Although her works display seemingly rudimentary techniques, the artistʼs instinctive approach awakens a visceral reaction in viewers. Through her unique embroidery and careful attention, Junko Oki breathes new life into aged textiles, frames, and other objects. These objects, with years of stories already embedded into them, are revived by Okiʼs hand through a series of attentive
stitches. They include everything that came into being, and chronologies that once existed but are now gone. At the core of Okiʼs creative process is a discovery of new horizons through layered impressions of time.

Takuro Kuwataʼs unique and unparalleled works expand the boundaries of ceramic art. His visual language, a contemporary take on traditional Japanese ceramic techniques such as kairagi and ishihaze, has garnered international acclaim. Kuwata’s studio is situated at the heart of Japanese ceramic artistry in the Mino region of Gifu Prefecture, which retains techniques dating back to feudal Japan. Inheriting the traditional tea-ceremony aesthetic of wabi-sabi, his creations celebrate imperfect beauty and natural forms in the preservation of a rustic, unrefined elegance. Through dialogue with environment, history, nature, and time, Kuwata fuses together tradition and modernity, bringing into existence provocative works of art.

Ataru Sato attempts to understand himself, humanity, and the world around him through the act of drawing or painting. Expressing themes such as obsession, fear, and romance through fine ‒ perhaps excessively fine ‒ pencil lines and distinctive brushwork, Sato emphasizes that his works are created for himself. He sees art as being created by people who are alive to express their lived experiences and has no aspiration to create art for artʼs sake, art that is novel, or art that seeks to be meaningful. Satoʼs images continually propagate, driven by his need to comprehend the indiscernible aspects of life. Born from a core of personal questions, his work is characterized by a powerful energy that penetrates deeply, leaving a lasting impression on its viewers.

Noritaka Tatehana presents a never-before-seen perspective and worldview by combining elements of traditional Japanese culture with values of the contemporary world. His carefully honed artistry is elegantly expressed throughout his various mediums. Nurturing the sensitivities of a rich history, mythology, and innovation, Tatehanaʼs work brims with his potential and hopes for the future. The artist is renowned for his trademark works titled “Heel-less Shoes,” which are inspired by the elevated wooden clogs worn by traditional Japanese courtesans. These works have attracted global recognition since being worn by celebrities including Lady Gaga. To date, Tatehanaʼs work has been collected by institutions such as the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, and the Victoria & Albert Museum in London.

Los Angeles based artist Ruby Neri creates ceramic vessels of distorted female forms evoking the various faces of womanhood, ranging from pleasure to terror and all things within the spectrum of human experience. Neri’s unique visual language references ancient art and folk art-making, and is also influenced by the Bay Area Figurative movement and street art, which she produced as a member of the San Francisco-based Mission School.

The presentation will consist of approximately 30 works by the five artists.