HIROTO TOMONAGA

Hiroto Tomonaga captures transitory moments in which things he is looking at appear to him ever so briefly as something else, and strives to render this in painting. In his practice, this change that occurs before his eyes gradually translates into paint on the canvas, becoming fixed on the surface. While the resulting paintings are fixed, they feel as if they might resume moving once again, and express the sense of helplessness the artist himself feels regarding the world he sees before him.

A major change with his recent work is his deliberate attempt to cancel out the effects of color and form, and seek places on the canvas where they balance each other out. He manipulates the depth of the composition, layering new colors over a base coat, scraping them away, and forcefully pounding paint in with heavy brushstrokes. Through an accumulation of these actions, the colors naturally recede, bringing the canvas to an exceptionally low-contrast, muted state. At first glance, this produces an uncertain “fragility” within the painting.

However, an exceptionally subtle perceptual effect occurs on the canvas. At the minute boundaries where layers of paint that were scraped off compete with one another, an interaction takes place between colors that should have canceled each other out, causing colors to appear before the viewer’s eyes that were never actually applied. The depths of the painting in which competing elements were canceled out turn out to be replete with countless reactions, forming a silent, yet firm, irresistible power that affects the viewer on a visceral level.

The artist has provided the following statement for the exhibition.

There are moments when a landscape appears purple. Dry colors like yellows and browns emerge initially, over which light and moisture draw a thin film. Looking closely at this limpid surface, one can sense the heat and coarse texture within.Two distinct aspects are viewed simultaneously, rather than a mixture.

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When I paint, I consider the “wrinkles” that are created when juxtaposing different elements.

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Colors and forms have their own respective roles, such as looking dull and muted, or floating, or reflecting light intensely, or cutting across the canvas. They operate at once within the same painting, interacting with one another.When pressed and smashed together, they cancel each other out, leaving behind wrinkles. These wrinkles might take the shape of thin, road-like paths or link together to resemble scales, spreading to the outermost edges.

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As a painting grows richer, it becomes harder to discern, but the tiny ridges and textures that remain in the traces left behind are palpable.

This show presents approximately fifteen new works by Tomonaga. At this time, we cordially invite you to attend “Wrinkled Landscape” at KOSAKU KANECHIKA.