Quick Facts
Exhibition Period: Monday, Octorber 17, ‒ Saturday, November 5, 2011
Venue: spaceB, Kyoto
Hours: Monday - Friday, 12:00pm‒6:30pm / Saturday, 12:00pm‒17:00pm / Closed on Sundays.
Organaizer: Faculty of Art and Design, Osaka Seikei University
Planner: PAINT: LAB., Faculty of Art and Design, Osaka Seikei University
Supporter: Imura Art Gallery
Admission: Free
Project Director and Curator: Syoh Yoshida

Event - Gallery Talk
Date & Time: Sat, Nov 5, 2011, 14:30pm‒16:00pm
Speakers: Shun Kawakami, Kei Hirokawa, Yoshimi Miyamoto, Syoh Yoshida
Admission: Free

Objective
Preface:
Each of the five research institutes under the Osaka Seikei University Faculty of Art and Design and Comprehensive Educational Research Center (Basic Design and Education Arts Center, Information Technology Center, Plastic Art Factory, Art Center, and Illustration Factory) has been involved in various creative and research endeavors since 2006. The Art Center has been conducting comprehensive, state-of-the-art research relating to arts, and has also been actively involved in production of art works and education of the students. We are committed to contribute to the development of our university through our research results and creative works. Our school, Faculty of Art and Design has been striving to improve culture and art by reaching out to local community, and expanding our influence both nationally and internationally. We hold unique exhibitions at the campus gallery “spaceB” . We not only exhibit works by our faculty and staff but also solicit creative works from our students. Without restricting our view to any particular genre, we exhibit a wide variety of works including those that are targeted to general audience, more contemporary, avant-garde works, and works by our students. We sponsor seminars and workshops open to the public as well.
This exhibition is a project by the staff of our department (Mr. Syoh Yoshida, lecturer faculty of the Department of Fine Art). As the title “FANATIC MONOCHROME” represents, we focus on artistic expressions using “black and white = light and shadows.” Monochrome has been used for centuries as fundamental axis of color schemes and expressions in paintings, photographs and two dimensional images. It is our hope that this exhibition can provide a new opportunity to think about the role of monochrome expressions in the history of art.

Integrated Theme:
Behind each work, there lies a common question, “how were monochrome expressions of art established and where are they going?” Color black that reminds us of darkness, has been associated with fear, disaster, death or mourning since ancient times. Throughout the long history of mankind, color black has been interpreted in a variety of images such as “religious aestheticism” that led to “technical innovation” in art. It was also associated with “political ideology” in certain historical period. Since after the 16th century, color black was associated with “modesty” “sternness” or “solemnity.” After the 19th century, it was actively used to create “fashion mode” and innovative “design.” As a result, the image of color black was transformed to become “aesthetically refined color.” This was also true in the world of fine arts. In each period of history, various possibilities using color black were explored with different medias. At this time, we will focus on the “2000’s” as it is the major transitional period of monochrome expressions in art. Therefore, at this exhibition, we hope to rethink the world of monochrome expressions in the eight fields selected by the creators, namely, graphics, pens, water color, calligraphy, ink painting, engraving, photography and images.

Selection of works:
In order to symbolize the era of “2000’s” and to represent a close relation with the “changing history of monochrome expressions,” we focused on three factors; “history=sublimation of tradition,” “design =highly accomplished skills and creativity sense” and “Next generation artists = born in the 1970’s and 1980’s.” We selected the work from each genre based on these factors. The process of evaluation and selection from the perspectives of “history, design, and next generation” led us to think about the “multifaceted nature of monochrome expressions and their continuity.” As a result, we realized how fanatically people have been pursuing unique expressions through artistic creativity using black and white. Thus, we decided to call this exhibition, “FANATIC MONOCHROME”

Participating Artist:
Graphics/Shun Kawakami, Pens/Kei Hirokawa, Engraving/Arata Nojima, Water Color/Yoshimi Miyamoto, Calligraphy/Gen Miyamura, Photography/Ryuhei Yokoyama, Ink Painting/Syoh Yoshida.

Brief Profile of the Artists:

Shun Kawakami - Art Director, Designer
Born in Tokyo in 1977. Represents artless Inc. Kawakami has been actively involved in a wide array of creative endeavors including design, art, branding, interactive, video, product, installation, and space production. In 2010, he won the Gold Award at the Cannes Lions International Advertising Festival for the work he produced for a TV channel in Finland (ch4). won). Kawakami has been energetically involved in sponsoring exhibitions and projects in Japan and overseas as well as curation while also submitting his art works to different media. In 2008, he was selected to participate in the Kansei-Japan Design Exhibition” at Les Arts Décoratifs (Musée du Louvre, Paris), sponsored by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry to commemorate the 150th year of Japan-France exchange. For this occasion, he produced a unique art book. Kawakami has won several prestigious international awards including NY ADC: Young Gun 6, NY ADC, NY TDC, The One Show and London International Award. Also in Japan, Kawakami has won numerous awards including Tokyo TDC, Good Design Award and Tokyo Interactive Ad Award. His professional membership includes New York Art Directors Club (NY ADC), Japan Graphic Designers Association Inc., and D&AD.
more artist info:
www.artless.co.jp
www.shunkawakami.jp

Kei Hirokawa - Painter
Born in Hyogo in 1986. Graduated from Tama Art University Faculty of Art and Design, majoring in oil paintings in 2009. Expected to complete his graduate program in oil painting in the Department of Painting at Tokyo University of the Arts in 2011. While still at Tama Art University, Hirokawa developed a unique world of artistic creation using pens and pencils. His outstanding skills of artistic description renders a unique world of art where reality and virtual reality become intertwined as one synergic world. Hirokawa held his first solo exhibition, “Deep Ocean Fantasy”in 2008 at Gallery Ginza Forest in Tokyo. Major group exhibitions include “Via Art 2007” as Shinwa Art Museum in Tokyo, “via art Okasa 2008” at Breeze Tower in Osaka, “via art EFD 2008” at Shinwa Art Museum in Tokyo, “Entrance into Garden” in 2009 at Imura Art Gallery in Kyoto, and “Contemporary Art Exhibition by Art Students”in 2010 held at KaiKai Kiki Gallery in Tokyo.

Arata Nojima - Copperplate Engraver
Born in Shiga, Japan in 1982. Graduated from the Niigata University Faculty of Education majoring in Japanese calligraphy. Studied at Accademia Italiana, Firenze in November, 2004 to June, 2005. Studied at Royal College of Art, London in Octorber to December, 2006. Graduated from Kyoto City University of Arts (MA), majoring in Printmaking in 2008. Major solo exhibitions: “Arata Nojima’s Exhibition” at Bangarow, Osaka in 2007, “TOPOS - HIDAMARI” at Ishida Taiseisha Hall, Kyoto in 2008 and “Memento Mori” at Gallery Kobayashi, Tokyo in 2010. Major group exhibitions: In 2006, “The New Faces from Printing” at Ishida Taiseisha Hall, Kyoto, “Kyoten” at Kyoto Municipal Museum of Art, “Diversity” at RCA main gallery, London. In 2007, “Porto di stampa” at Art Zone Kaguraoka, Kyoto, “Individual Sight - AfterMath No.6” at The Art complex Center of Tokyo. In 2008, “Busan Biennale” at Busan Cultural Center, Busan, “International Painting Exhibition” at Yamaki Art Gallery, Busan. In 2009, “Kyoto Gense Museum” at Kenninji, Kyoto, “Summer Pleasures in NewYork” at A-forest gallery, NY. In 2010, “Come into sight” at Port gallery T, Osaka. Major honors and awards: In 2008, “The Yamamoto Kanae Print Grand Prix Competition” Excellent Prize, “Kyoten” Printmaking」 Grand Prize. In 2009, “Summer Pleasures in New York” IAAC Award. In 2010, “The 78th Japan Print Association Competition” Grand Prize.

Yoshimi Miyamoto - Painter
Born in Fukuoka in 1981. Completed graduate program at the Kyoto Saga University of Arts through the affiliated Cultural Research Institute in 2005. Obtained M.F.A. degree from the Department of Oil Paintings of Kyoto City University of Arts in Kyoto, Japan in 2008. Currently, Miyamoto lives in Osaka and produces art works as she explores various possibilities of contemporary monochrome paintings. In 2008, Miyamoto held solo exhibitions, “Hana o Saru Shikai” at Gallery 16 in Kyoto and “Recollected View” at Teizukayama Gallery in Osaka. In 2010, Miyamoto held her 5th solo exhibition, “Immortal Plant” at Imura Art Gallery in Kyoto. She is the winner of “Tokyo Wonder Wall 2005” (Museum of Contemporary Art, Tokyo) in 2007, “Kyoto Artcraft Biennale-New Waves- 2007,” (The Museum of Kyoto), and “Maeda Kanji Award”(Nihonbashi Takashimaya, 2010). She has held many solo and group exhibitions.
more artist info:
www.imuraart.com

Gem Miyamura - Calligrapher, Calligraphic artist
Born in Shizuoka in 1980. Graduated from the Niigata University Faculty of Education majoring in Japanese calligraphy. Miyamura began his professional activities in 2005 aiming to sublimate the aesthetic beauty of scripts and calligraphy. He has been involved in various media activities, and his avant-garde works leap out of the confinement of traditional calligraphy and expands to the world of design and fine art. He also teaches to spread the joy of calligraphy and its aesthetic value. His creative works based on the aestheticism of the world of calligraphy have been frequently introduced in different media, attracting much public attention. His art project introduced in 2010, “Image Langue – Seduction of Undecoded Scripts” were exhibited simultaneously at SferaExhibition (Kyoto) and SferaShop Tokyo (Tokyo Midtown). Miyamura also showed his works at +81 gallery+lab (Tokyo) and CCC - the center for creative communications – (Shizuoka). While energetically producing his own works, he has been involved in various design projects. In recent years, he provided a variety of calligraphic lines for the clients and private works for Shun Kawakami (artless Inc.). Miyamura has won numerous awards including the Mainich Award from the Mainich Calligraphy Exhibition.
more artist info:
gen-m.jp

Ryuhei Yokoyama - Photographer
Born in Osaka in 1979. Living in Tokyo, Yokoyama produces monochrome photographs capturing scenes filled with wild energy yet with quiet elegance. He published his first collection of works in, “TOKYO, UNTITLED” in 2003. Held a solo exhibition, “On the Street - Other Images “ in 2004 and “Being Distant from the Images” in 2005. In the same year, Yokoyama published a free paper, “Photography X.” Beginning in 2006, he has been involved with the publication of a free paper, “photography magazine 81lab.” Also in 2006, Yokoyama published the much waited 2nd work, “Press the shutter like a drunken pianist.” Yokoyama has participated in a number of solo as well as group exhibitions.
more artist info:
www.81lab.com

Syoh Yoshida - Painter
Born in Aichi, Japan in 1984. Graduated from Seian College of Art and Design, Department of Artcraft, majoring in Japanese paintings in 2004. Completed graduate course at Osaka Seikei University Faculty of Art and Design with emphasis on Japanese paintings in 2008. While still in college, Yoshida began to develop unique monochrome style paintings using “ink (carbon black)” and “white pure powdered pigments”(calcium carbonate)” traditionally used for Japanese paintings. He began his professional career in 2004 and held the first solo exhibition, “Beautiful Thing” in 2006 at spaceB in Kyoto. Yoshida’s artistic engagement spans out into various fields. For example, he is a Yukata pattern designer in demand for Kawashima Selkon Textiles Company Ltd., an old kimono merchant in Kyoto with 160 years of history. In 2008, he held a solo exhibition “Night Trace” at Takashimaya department in Shijuku and “Distant Promise” at Harbor City (Hong Kong). In 2009, his 7th solo exhibition, “Insphere – longing to be embraced” (Imura Art Gallery, Kyoto) was held. His major honors and awards include “Kyoto Artcraft Biennale – New Wave -2007”（The Museum of Kyoto）, and “11th Taro Okamoro Award for Contemporary Art” (Taro Okamoto Memorial Museum in Kawasaki, 2008). Living in Kyoto, Yoshida has been a prolific artist, who is proactively engaged in solo and group exhibits both in Japan and overseas. He is also an lecturer faculty at Osaka Seikei University Faculty of Art and Design (paintings) as of 2009.
more artist info:
www.syohyoshida-archives.com
www.imuraart.com

Contacts
Project Director: Syoh Yoshida
PAINT: LAB., G-2/F., A-Building,
Faculty of Art and Design, The Osaka Seikei University
1-25-1 Choshi, Nagaokakyo, Kyoto, Japan
T: +81-75-953-1039
F: +81-75-953-3852
M: kaiga[at]osaka-seikei.ac.jp

Public Relations:
Project Manager: Kenji Kondo
Comprehensive Educational Research Suppoort Center
B-1/F., A-Building, Faculty of Art and Design, The Osaka Seikei University
1-25-1 Choshi, Nagaokakyo, Kyoto, Japan
T: +81-75-953-1113
F: +81-75-953-1119
M: cersc[at]saka-seikei.ac.jp