Tang Contemporary Art – Hong Kong presents Japanese contemporary art at the end of 2010, featuring sculpture series by artists, Hsia Aihua, Muzutani Atsushi, Mitsuhiro Konishi and Yada Masayuki.
Founded on its beliefs, society and cultural roots of oriental civilization, Japanese contemporary art is unique in its conceptual discourse and formal expressions. At the spiritual depth of the Japanese nation, it is not difficult to notice the meticulous attention paid to the original forms of objects and life at large that ultimately dominates as a primary values in contemporary Japanese art. Due to the recent years of derivation from popular consumer culture lending to the multiplication and growth of Japan’s complex culture, more individualistic and vivid roles are coming to the fore.
In this exhibition, the works by Mitsuhiro Konishi focus on life forms of objects found in nature, and its abstract forms derived from nature. While presenting the pure and humble aesthetics, Konishi also establishes representational relationship with a modern twist. Compare to many artworks marked by their modern characteristics, Muzutani Atsushi’s sculptures have adopted the “anime” subject matter. Amongst many Japanese themes of representing tender feelings, such works valourize the discovery of depth and direction among the contemporaries. Yada Masayuki has adopted primitive figures and animals as his main subjects of sculptural depiction, guiding the viewers to search for the origin of ancient culture and modern spirit. Where Hsia Aihua’s works has infused the fantastic imagination of hybridity between Eastern and Western culture onto the ancient Eastern craft of lacquer. What is worth mentioning is that Hsia Aihua, a Taiwanese native, whose primary experience and techniques come from Japan, from which it is easy to trace back the Taiwan-Japan history of civilization. Thus, these dynamically woven creations of imagination and reality have also created rapports with each other. This exhibition marks the premiere of these Japanese artists in Hong Kong.
In order to appreciate contemporary Japanese art, besides paying attention to its unique artistic manifestations in the Asia Pacific region, one should also trace the origin of its cross-cultural spirit. REALITY RETAINED, has maintained an enigmatic aesthetic and spiritual value throughout, as well as the spectacular representations of such spirit.
