Onishi Gallery is proud to present Contemporary Comments, a group show of recent works by Japanese Living National Treasure artist Mamoru Nakagawa, Megumi Nagai, Toshio Ohi, Hiroto Rakusho and Ralph Rucci, during Asian Week in New York. The artworks encompass: Kaga inlay metal sculpture; fanciful, hyper-realistic, surrealistic “face” paintings on wood grains; Ohi ceramics based on traditional methods; digital reproductions of ancient National Treasure screens and paintings on gold leaf. The art work blends diligent training in centuries old techniques expressed through contemporary sensibilities. The result is artworks that bring new life to ancient crafts and link Japan to America.
Megumi Nagai, Bird, 2009, oil on wood, 4.5 x 7.5 inches
Mamoru Nakagawa: Named a Japanese Living National Treasure artist in 2004, Mamoru Nakagawa perfected 8th Century Kaga inlay metalwork and updated it with a painter’s eye. His work, aerodynamic in shape, Art Moderne in feeling, has the sleek, masculine appeal of sports cars, yachts and streamlined trains. His work has been exhibited internationally and is in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
Megumi Nagai: The Japanese born Brooklyn resident, Megumi Nagai uses oil and mixed media on various types of wood grain to interpret facial imagery inspired by nature in a super-realistic, surrealistic manner with homage to Hokosai and Arcimboldo. She mixes textures, color, irregularities…with wood grain to produce “faces” which express inner emotions. Her recent work “Himiko, Ancient Queen of Yamataikoku” is in the exhibit.
Toshio Ohi: The 11th generation of his family to work in famous black Toshio Ohi ware, which traces its history to 1666, he crafts the same bowls and other Tea Ceremony objects…but with a twist. Born in Kanazawa, he received a MFA from Boston University and has taught in the United States, Taiwan and Japan. An award winning potter who still uses his grandfather’s tools, his work reflects the same lustrous finishes and shapes.
Hiroto Rakusho: The Gold Leaf Master from Kyoto has used his centuries old training to “breathe life” into high tech digital reproductions of aged works on paper…screens and door panels in his city’s shrines, temples and palaces. In ancient times artists painted on top of gold leafed panels. Today, he adds shimmering gold leaf to artwork copied with 21 colors, which enables the work to be shown in public again.
Ralph Rucci: The renowned high fashion & couture New York designer, whose garments many consider to be wearable art, is also a fine artist painter who has had four solo shows in the past five years. He collaborated with Hiroto Rakusho to create four works combining silver leaf, acrylic and mixed media. Rakusho prepared silver & gold leaf panels and did the calligraphy on one and Rucci painted over them all.