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This
exhibition displays works of art selected from the collection, particularly
those produced with colors and forms which convey a feeling of straight lines,
and straight lines such as horizontal and vertical lines.
Abstract paintings, born in the 20th century, tried to express the pure mind of
the artist more directly to develop a spirituality in art, and endlessly devoted
to a passionate movement, challenging sometimes society, sometimes history. It
will be soon 90 years since more revolutionary abstract paintings were born in
Europe changing from traditional paintings to cubism.
At that time there were some Japanese artists who went to Bauhaus, an art school, in Germany and brought the movement of geometrical constructive painting back to the world of art in Japan and so introduced this new trend from Europe. Unfortunately, this trend did not spread in Japan. One of the reasons for this is that there were few critics who understood or paid much attention to the trend since it was far ahead of the times.
The
unpopularity of abstract paintings may also be due to viewer’s way of
appreciation. Japanese may have understood geometrical constructive space more,
if they had not “tried” to understand it so much. There were or still are
Japanese traditional houses around us which are divided by geometrical spaces.
A traditional tea house, in particular, is simple but highly calculated because
it harmonizes a geometrical constructive space with natural space. This is why
you can appreciate geometrical constructive space without being aware of it when
you visit old Japanese buildings.
It is, moreover, unfortunate
that there have been many people who visit an art museum and say, “I have little
knowledge of art history,” or “I cannot understand geometrical constructive
painting” even before seeing it. This is a sort of preconception which
prevents viewers from appreciating abstract paintings or geometrical
constructive paintings.
Just
imagine that you enter the exhibition room and stand leisurely in front of
pieces of art to touch their spirit as if you were watching rivers and mountains
and listening to birds chirping around you, and you will find that a change
comes into being in your mind and body just as a sense of balance is kept in you
by touching a healing or peaceful space.
Art
can be generally said to develop your consciousness or sensibility. It is one
of our pleasures to see the world of art changing from a point to a straight
line, a straight line to a plain, or, vice versa, from a plain to a straight
line. You can make an artistic expedition freely by listening to the voices of
works of art or having a dialogue with them.
The exhibition shows relief, cubic work, as well as painting, two-dimensional
work. Relief is a work of visual art which looks different depending on the
aspect of the observer. You will be surprised that when straight lines become
something beyond straight lines they become a surface plain. In addition to
relief, colors also produce different spaces. Choose your favorite piece and
nurse it, and you are sure to have a different view of straight lines or surface
plains.
Exhibition of Satoru Sato
“Satoru
Sato:The Beginning of Straight Lines, 1965-79”
This section displays 17 works selected from 350 pieces and produced between
1965 and 1979, which announce the beginning of straight lines in his art. They
include pieces produced before going to Paris, abstract paintings (in oil)
based on straight lines , produced at the Ecole Nationale Superieure des
Beaux-Arts in Paris, and pieces (in acrylic color) exhibited in Tokyo and
Paris. In addition to this, there are 6 small pieces in a Japanese-style room
on the second floor and a cubic work in the back garden at the end of the
entrance hall.
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His Works from 1965 - 1972 2 pieces, a still life and a painting of an interior scene, produced before going to Paris. 4 pieces, abstract paintings (in oil) based on straight lines, produced at the Eclole in Paris. |
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His Woerks from 1973 - 1974 7 pieces, abstract paintings (in acrylic color on canvas) based on straight lines, produced in Paris. |
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His Works from 1975 -1979 4 pieces, abstract paintings (in acrylic color on canvas) based on straight lines, produced in Paris. |
Exhibition of Overseas Artists >>