Masaya Nakayama Solo Exhibition “A world on paper　” 

 

ニューヨーク、ブルックリンをベースに活動する現代美術作家、中山誠弥の東京初個展を開催します。展示作品は2020年〜2021年に彼の現在の拠点であるニューヨークで制作された新作となります。

 

2020年私達の生活は大きく変化しました。パンデミックやBLMなどの社会問題が生活や制作環境にも大きく影響する中で、ここ数年作品のテーマとして掲げている”丁寧に生きる”ということの大切さを作家自身が改めて思い知り、考える時期にもなったと言います。ロックダウン時期にこっそりスタジオに行き制作を続けている中で、隣のスタジオからよく流れてきた”LET IT BE”。口に出して伝え始めた”Thank you”が開く新しい繋がり。悪化した治安の中で当然ホームレスの数も極端に増えたニューヨークで考える”1ドル(お金)”のこと。とてつもなく早いスピードで駆け抜ける私達の忙しない生活の中で、見過ごしてしまいがちな小さな瞬間。その一つ一つを掘り起こすようにして制作されたのが今回の作品シリーズ「The world on paper」です。中山の作品は一見ペインティングの上に白いラインを引いたように見えますが、実際は支持体の紙の本来の色である”白”をマスキングテープを使い丁寧に残すことでラインを作りだす珍しい表現をしています。その手法を通じて、一つの情報や写真、出会いが本来持つ意味を再度掘り起こし、今も変わらずに”そこに在るモノ”を今度こそ自分のものとして消化しようともがいてる、そんな作家自身が作品に表れているように思います。当展示では展示会場の一部を作家のオープンアトリエとし、現地制作も実施します。

 

https://www.masayanakayama.com/

 

@msynkyma

 

 

“A World On Paper”

 

Masaya Nakayama, a Brooklyn-based contemporary artist, will be presenting his first solo exhibition in Tokyo, Japan. The exhibition consists of works made in New York City throughout 2020 to 2021 – a time when life changed dramatically for everyone.

 

“A World On Paper” consists of a series of works bringing attention to the various fleeting moments and feelings that can easily escape our perception. Globally, people experienced the profound impact from COVID-19, Black Lives Matter, and general social unrest. For the artist, this led to a grapple with what it means to fully embrace life (teinei-ni-ikiru), a theme prevalent throughout his work during the past several years.

 

Much of the current work was produced under lockdown during secluded studio sessions in New York. During these sessions, coming from the art studios next door could be heard the famous song, “Let It Be” by The Beatles. Unexpectedly, this one song perfectly captured the entire mood of the building during this period.

 

Nothing is a given anymore. What was once expected, such as the care of essential workers in the city, could no longer be met with mere silent appreciation, but through saying out loud the words, “thank you.” Only with explicitly expressed gratitude and action can the ties within a community be renewed.

 

Alongside these various changes in New York was the visible rise in homelessness and worsening sense of safety in the neighborhood. Almost instantly, the meaning behind the value of a dollar fundamentally changed and came into question.

 

“A World On Paper” aims to uncover and grasp the subtle moments which can easily slip away from us in a world moving at a dizzying pace. Notions of how truth and meaning are understood are intently explored through techniques employed by the artist, such as through the use of prominent white lines throughout the paintings. Our gaze naturally interprets such contrasting lines as something imprinted over the paintings. However, these lines are carefully created by peeling away masking tape from underneath to reveal the canvas below. In this way, the viewer is steered towards an understanding of how the canvas creates the lines and its color – inviting us to understand the hidden truths beneath our daily interactions and encounters, especially as it was exposed during the recent pandemic.

 

Supported by 帝人フロンティア(株), Brooklyn Brewery Japan, B by the Brooklyn Brewery