gallery UG is pleased to announce a special exhibit "Floating moment" by Kunihiko Nohara, an artist exclusive to gallery UG, operated by UG ASSEMBLE Co., Ltd. (President: Eiichiro SASAKI), at The Ritz-Carlton, Tokyo (Roppongi, Tokyo) from September 1, 2023.
Kunihiko NOHARA is a contemporary artist who creates a wide range of three-dimensional and two-dimensional works centered on wood sculptures. In recent years, he has been presenting collaborative works that incorporate traditional Japanese craft techniques such as Kyo-yuzen (traditional dying), lacquer, and foil stamping.
Based on the concept of "a montage of everyday scenes," he has carved and shaped these works from a single piece of wood.
In this special exhibition, he presents new works inspired by the crown and the lion, the king of beasts, seen in the logo of The Ritz-Carlton, Tokyo.
In addition, a large-size version of "Cappuccino", which established the Nohara style, his masterpiece embodies "comfortable moments" from his production concept of capturing everyday life.
All colors of the original size "Cappuccino" will be displayed at various locations in The Lobby Lounge on the 45th floor, where visitors can enjoy the gentle healing effect of the artwork with afternoon tea.
On the ground floor, where the entrance to the building is located, "Zenzai II," a work of art decorated with a traditional Japanese cloisonné pattern, will be on display, welcoming you with joy and celebration of your "Goen (connection)" with us.
Furthermore, as a limited collaboration product, chocolate confections with motifs of the artwork will be on sale for a limited time only.
You will be able to take them home as a reminder of your special time with us.
gallery UG
【From the artist】
"Clouds" and "Swimming goggles"
Imaginations or memories are always ambiguous.
The "present" in front of us also becomes the past and memory with the passage of time.
When there was a situation that I want to preserve in "form," the surroundings other than "it" is already ambiguous, and no clear form can be seen.
Clouds that at first glance appear to have a form have no substance.
The way it eventually fades and disappears is linked to the vague object for me.
Swimming goggles, which allowed me to see clearly for the first time the under the water, which I could only see dimly, are another viewpoint through the filter of experience and knowledge.
What I want to create is a special time for me. Cutting out scenes that remain in my mind in my daily life. A shape that I carved out from a single piece of wood is a montage of what I cut out scenes.
The luxurious space of The Ritz-Carlton, Tokyo, and the view of Tokyo from the high-rise floors will lift your spirits and release you from your daily life.
Visible bliss. Invisible bliss.
I hope that the presence of this space and my work will make you feel even more special and extraordinary.
【Session】
45F The lobby lounge| Fri. September 1st – Sat. September 30th
GF Ground floor| Fri. September 1st – Tue. October 31st
"Connecting artworks to people, connecting people to each other through art."
galleryUG are always there for our artists.
We will grow together with the artists and support them from production to promotion.
We aim to further enrich and expand the contemporary art scene by proposing the ideal way for galleries to be.
In moments when I feel like I’m in a place independent of my surroundings,
I sometimes feel like I’m in a different time and space.
The feeling is like clouds or smoke that change shape with no regard for time
that people have to live by, and it also feels like a space of my own.
To turn, various scenes that came up in my imagination from things I encountered.
To express freedom, time and desires that are on the verge of being discarded from memory.
That is what is important, in order for me to be me and for a person to be them self.
He comes from a family of sculptors who have been practicing Buddhism for generations. Her large works are nearly life-size female figures, while her smaller works are pop and comical animal figures. Having been familiar with statues of gods and Buddha from various periods, he has not hesitated to move toward diverse expressions, and continues to move back and forth between the two energetically.
The motifs chosen by Nami OKADA for her artwork are places she has visited personally. Her artwork arouses feelings of déjà vu and of reaching across time in viewers, whose backgrounds all differ.
Each person forms a distinct impression of a given building or piece of scenery due to the differences in their memories and experiences. Such spaces thus possess a multitude of forms.
It is only when there is commonality in the interpretations of multiple viewers that a given piece of scenery takes on certain meaning.
OKADA brings life to One View by exploring the relationship between pieces of scenery that have taken on meaning due to the overlapping of such commonalities and pieces of scenery whose meaning has yet to take shape.
2F TERRADA ART COMPLEX Ⅱ, 1-32-8, Higashishinagawa, Shinagawa-ku, Tokyo
8 minutes walk from Tennozu Isle Station on the Tokyo Waterfront Area Rapid Transit Rinkai Line(Exit B)
11 minutes walk from Tokyo Monorail Haneda Airport Line Tennozu Isle Station(Central Exit)
This is a base in Kyoto that opened in 2018 in order to actively conduct activities in the Kansai region. This is a reservation-only space.
Studio MOKU
This is a production studio for exclusive artists of gallery UG, which will open in 2020. It was built to approach and support artists from a long-term perspective.