Exhibition
in Tokyo / Japan
-
- © Naoki Koide
Tomio Koyama Gallery is pleased to present Naoki Koide’s solo exhibition, “Joniconian: Relics of an Unborn Kingdom.”
Koide’s sixth solo exhibition with the gallery since his previous show ten years ago comprises solely of new works centering on ceramic sculptures, drawings, as well as a selection of two-dimensional mixed media works that demonstrate new frontiers for the artist.
About Naoki Koide and his works: Perspectives on family members and familiar people expressed in a humorous and mysterious way
Naoki Koide was born in Aichi prefecture in 1968. He graduated from Tokyo Zokei University in 1992, and currently lives and works in Chiba.
Koide, whose practice centered on sculptures using materials such as FRP and wood, and photographic works in the early stages of his career, started making works with ceramics in 2010 during his artist residency at the Shigaraki Ceramic Cultural Park. As he himself states, “the time of firing (ceramics) that enables one of take a moment to stop and reflect, had best corresponded to my feelings,” it is a method that he has continued to work with to this day.
In addition, Koide’s works and exhibitions to date have dealt with significant turning points in his own personal history, such as the death of his mother, his relationship with his partner, his wedding, moving to a new home, and the birth of his child.
In his expressions, Koide transforms his family as well as familiar people and creatures into somewhat humorous, dream-like beings that appear to transcend both time and space, and even the very world in which we live. While they incite memories that we as viewers may have in common, they harbor a mystical sense of endearment and joy, reflecting the artist’s warm gaze towards those in his surroundings.
“Joniconian: Relics of an Unborn Kingdom” — A magnificent world of work that is an honest expression of the artist’s mind and thoughts
“Joniconian,” as mentioned in the title of the exhibition, is a term coined by Koide to refer to an era in time that does not actually exist. “Relics of an Unborn Kingdom” reflects a world of fiction and fantasy that cannot be seen or does not have to be seen by anyone but oneself.
In his new works for this exhibition, Koide has come to honestly express the nature of his own mind and thoughts without worrying about the presence or eyes of others.
Koide had initially envisioned an “urn” of sorts in producing his “sacred relics” reminiscent of large towers. However, as he continued to work with his hands and engage in a dialogue with his own feelings, the works gradually expanded in scale to take on forms akin to towers and ruins, or something similar to a king or queen chess piece. Here, the underlying theme of “family” is sublimated into abstract forms, that is, “vessels for the souls of one’s family” that are neither descriptive nor direct and cannot be associated with a particular place or time.
What served as an impetus for such works are the sessions that Koide has been holding over the past few years for children with developmental difficulties at Kodomo Mirai En “Art Room.” Koide mentions that seeing children freely create works with the colors, shapes, and movements that they wish with an attitude that pays no regard for being understood by others, had enable him to rid himself of his own biases and greatly expand the scope of his work.
In addition, he came to regard the “burdens and constraints” in production as an important element of his practice.
Large works are divided into parts and are each fabricated using different methods, such as firing the center section in a wood-fired kiln while the other parts are fired in a gas kiln. Furthermore, different colors and impressions are added to a single object through use of glazes in addition to base paints, thus instilling the works with the reason and persuasiveness worthy of its burdens, allowing things that by far transcend the artist’s own limits to manifest.
Despite the extensive amount of time and effort that is put into the creation of these works, what they indeed reflect are the painful yet exciting joys of expression, as well as the artist’s major determination to sincerely engage with his own thoughts and feelings and free himself from the eyes of others.
A magnificent and delightful world unlike ever seen before, which transcends the biases of thought, is conceived as a result of physical burdens and constraints. Such a world is full of mysterious charm that amuses and captivates us viewers.
Although there is no such thing as the “Joniconian” era, who is to say that it did not really exist? While encouraging such contemplations, Koide’s works stimulate our imagination and introduces a new perspective as if venturing into parallel world. We hope viewers will take this opportunity to engage with the artist’s latest oeuvre.
Gallery hours 11 pm – 7 pm, closed Sun, Mon, National Holidays
Exhibition Duration 20.05.- 17.06.2023
この度小山登美夫ギャラリーでは、小出ナオキ展「イオニコニアン：生まれなかった王国の遺構」を開催いたします。
作家にとって弊廊での10年ぶり6度目の個展となる本展では、陶芸による立体作品をメインに、ドローイング、新たな試みとなるミクストメディアの平面作品を発表。すべて新作での構成となります。
小出ナオキと作品について
家族や身近な存在への視点 ユーモラスに、不思議な姿に表す
小出ナオキは1968年愛知県生まれ。1992年に東京造形大学造形学部美術学科を卒業し、現在は千葉県を拠点に制作活動を行っています。
活動初期に、おもにFRPや木などを素材とした立体、写真作品を制作したのち、2010年滋賀県立陶芸の森での滞在制作より、セラミックでの作品制作を開始。
自身「（陶芸の）焼成という区切りの時間が、自分の気持ちのタイミングと一番合う」と語るように、現在まで継続する手法となっています。
また今までの作品、展覧会では、母親の他界や、自身と恋人、結婚式、新居、子供の誕生など、小出の個人史ともいえる生活の転機がテーマとなっていました。
家族や身近な人々や生き物を、どこかユーモラスで、まるで夢の中のような、時空や現世を超越したような姿にする表現。
それは私たち鑑賞者に共通するような記憶を刺激しながらも、不可思議な愛らしさや幸福感があり、小出の周りの存在へのあたたかな視点が感じられました。
新作展「イオニコニアン：生まれなかった王国の遺構」
自分の心の表れを正直に表現した、壮大な作品世界
本展のタイトル「イオニコニアン」は実際には存在しない時代の名称であり、小出の造語です。「生まれなかった王国の遺構」、自分以外には見えない、見えなくてもいい、フィクション、ファンタジーの世界という意味合いがこめられています。
小出は、本展の新作において「他者の存在や目を気にせず、自分の心の表れを正直に表現」するようになりました。
新作の大きな塔のような作品「聖遺物」は、はじめは「骨壺」のイメージから、手を動かし、自身の中の気持ちの対話をすることにより、だんだん大きく、塔や遺跡、チェスのキングやクィーンのようなものができたと言います。通底する「家族」という大きなテーマをあえて説明的、直接的でない、いつどこのものかわからないような「家族の魂の器」という抽象的な形に昇華しています。
そのきっかけとなったのは、ここ数年行っているこどもみらい園「アート室」での、発達に悩みをかかえる子どもたちとのセッション。子どもたちが自分の欲する色や形や動きで作品を作り、他者の理解を介在させない姿勢は、小出自身のバイアスを解放させ、作品制作の余地を大きく広げました。
また、制作での「負荷や制約」も大事な要素ととらえるようになりました。
大きな作品は分割して、真ん中のパーツは薪釜で焼き、他はガスで焼成し、それぞれのパーツで違う手法をとる。また下絵具のほか釉薬も使い、一つのオブジェに違う色合いや印象をいれていくことで、その負荷に見合っただけの理由と説得力がそなわり、自身の限界を何倍も飛び越したものが現れてくる。
途方もない手数をかけているにも関わらず、そこには小出が自分の心に真摯に向き合い、他者の目から自身を解放できた、表現の苦しくも楽しい喜びや大きな決意が感じられます。
思考のバイアスを超え、物理的な負荷から生まれた、ありそうでない小出の壮大で楽しい作品世界。どこかクスッと笑ってしまうような不可思議な魅力にあふれています。
「イオニコニアン」なんて時代はないようでいて、もしかしたら本当にあったのかもしれない、、、まるでパラレルワールドに迷い込んだように私たちの想像力を刺激し、新たな視点をもたらしてくれるでしょう。
Gallery hours 11 pm – 7 pm, closed Sun, Mon, National Holidays
Exhibition Duration 20.05.- 17.06.2023
Location:
Tomio Koyama Gallery Roppongi
complex665 2F, 6-5-24, Minato-ku
106-0032 Tokyo
Japan
