BOSCO SODI

‘For Bosco Sodi, the exhibition creates a space for looking, and for losing yourself in the act of looking. A space set aside to stare at surfaces, revel in complex textures, move through negative spaces, catch a glimpse of little vistas and lopsided shadows. It is a space, Sodi might add, to encourage a state of mind called yūgen, a Japanese word the artist borrowed for the title of his exhibition. Sodi defines yūgen as “the profound and mysterious beauty of the universe that cannot be described by words.”

It’s important to keep in mind that yūgen, however elusive a concept, emerges from our sensual engagement with the natural world. It is also about losing control, at least a little bit. There is a short story of a Zen monk who, one autumn day, rakes the temple’s ground of leaves, clearing it completely. Looking across the pristine garden, he feels a sense of dissatisfaction. He grabs a handful of leaves from the pile at his feet and randomly sprinkles a few across the grass, restoring a sense of messiness and harmony to the space. The same kind of impish delight animates Sodi’s work. Yet there is also a sense of wonder in nature itself, a respect for forces beyond the artist’s control.’

These works were first exhibited in 2016, during Yūgen at the former London-based gallery Blain Southern. Now they find a second life at Axel Vervoordt Gallery, presented as Yügen II, during a showcase within the Patio Gallery at Kanaal.