Coming to Life: Vernal Expressions in Clay
at Joan B Mirviss LTD
May-June 2023
Coming to Life: Vernal Expressions in Clay
at Joan B Mirviss LTD
May-June 2023
Akashi Ryōtarō
Coming to Life: Vernal Expressions in Clay
May 2 - June 16, 2023
Coming to Life marks artist Akashi Ryōtarō's international solo debut. He explores new techniques with platinum overglaze that catches and throws light over the precisely carved surfaces of his biomorphic forms. Emerging from the shadows of the past few years, Akashi has recommitted to his artistic practice and found fresh inspiration from his observations of nature. His latest meditations on new life are reflected in his vigorous sculptural work presented here at Joan B Mirviss LTD in New York.
Artist Akashi Ryōtarō's sketch for Habataku; Striving to Fly (2023)
Seeking inspiration for this show, Akashi Ryōtarō (b. 1971) reconnected with nature in isolation. Though there is continuity with his previous work, his latest sculptures now demonstrate a deeper level of both intricacy and color. His newly developed technique that he calls hekikōsai refers to the blue-green colors that are hidden and revealed by shifting light.
Finished version of Habataku; Striving to Fly (2023)
This multistep process enables him to preserve the sharp, clean lines of his original form. His intricately carved textures are a result of his profound appreciation for the wondrous textures found in nature, whether on a leaf or seed or the feathers of a bird’s wing.
He strives to capture the complexity that he observes in nature and the emotional experiences that such encounters evoke.
View more photos of the artist's process in slideshow below
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