"Silhouette" Yoshihiko MURATA Lacquer Art Solo Exhibition 8.7 - 6.8.2023

Curated and presented by The Gallery by SOIL

Artist Statement

Many of my pieces are carved out of solid maple with a knife. Maple is hard and difficult to scratch, but extremely resilient. It is thin enough to be bent with both hands, flexible like a bow, perfect for expressing natural soft lines. For my creations, no matter from which angle you look at them, I will try my best to present the lines of my work beautifully. For me, lines are the flow of planes, and the boundaries between planes. Therefore, sanding a smooth and beautiful surface, helps create harmony between surfaces, and beautiful lines will be created naturally.

For me, lines are the flow of planes, and the boundaries between planes. Therefore, sanding a smooth and beautiful surface, helps create harmony between surfaces, and beautiful lines will be created naturally. Lacquer is a fascinating material that gives me a mysterious depth. Its austere sheen is reflected in my work. Lacquer art is intoxicating, it doesn't make you feel the time and effort you put into it. Most importantly, it is a material that accentuates light and shadow.

During my graduation exhibition, the moment I put the lacquer work into the booth and illuminated it with spotlights, “silhouette’” is presented on the work. It brings me an illusory and mysterious feeling, like a dream, illusion and reality.

That experience prompted me to delve into my own way to pursue the Japanese aesthetic of "shadow".

Since I was a student, I have had a strong interest in Japanese culture and art, including Buddhist statues, Shinto art, ink paintings, brocade paintings, tea ceremony utensils and other beautiful things. Since ancient times, the Japanese have believed that gods live in the natural world and are full of faith in the natural world. Maybe that's why I continue to create pieces that incorporate the austere look of nature. At the same time, I found beauty in the Japanese culture of humbly facing nature.

This is the reason why I take nature as the subject of creation. Face and respect the nature, and live with it. Without using too many lacquer art techniques, the fleeting beauty is presented, and it feels like the continuous beauty of Japan.

藝術家自述

我的作品許多都是用刀從實心的楓木雕刻出來。楓木柔韌性極強，而且輕盈，我可以用雙手如拉弓一樣，靈活地把它彎曲起來，就可以呈現自然柔美的線條。在創作時，我會盡量讓作品，無論從哪個角度觀看那線條都要是優美的。對我來說，線是流動的，是平面之間的分界線。經打磨後呈現光滑而美麗的平面，和諧而自然的線條就是一份難以言喻的美。

漆給我神秘的深邃感，是一種讓人著迷的物料，它冷酷的光澤反映在我的作品中，可使人沈醉在其中，那是一種似重若輕的感覺。那種光與影的體驗促使我從學生的時代便開始以「剪影」為概念來創作作品。那次在畢業展上，我把漆藝作品放在展台，用射燈影在「作品」上產生的「剪影」，帶給我一種虛幻而神秘的感覺，像夢境般，似幻似真。

那次經歷，驅使我去鑽研，用自己的方式去追求日本文化上對於「影」的美學。

自學生時代，我就對日本的文化和藝術產生濃厚的興趣，那包括佛像、神道、水墨畫、錦繪、茶道器具等優雅的事物。自古以來，日本人就相信神靈存在於大自然，對大自然非常敬仰，也許這就是何以我喜歡創作樸素而又融合大自然的作品。我相信我們可以謙遜地面對大自然，就會發現美好的世界。

面對自然，尊重自然，與之共處，我希望以漆藝適可而止地呈現大自然間稍縱即逝的美。

About the Creation “Silhouette”

The “silhouette” series originates from the concept of "shadow" in traditional Japanese aesthetic concept. The momentary beauty of creatures and plants, the sound of wind and the scent of flowers that resonate with the five senses, are all reflected in the depths of darkness and the shadows created by reflections.

The Japanese word "kage (かげ)" includes not only shadows caused by light, but also darkness, images of people and things, memories, hallucinations, and ephemeral things, all of the above. The forms of the works are born by connecting the emotions and feelings that I get from their "silhouette" with the emotions and feelings I get from nature, which is the root of my decision on the outline of the works.

Among the many meanings of "silhouette", I pay particular attention to "light".

To express nature through lacquer, I hope to make people realise that the nature that we take for granted is irreplaceable. Besides, I also hope that my work can bring joy and hope to people like "light".

關於作品「剪影」

我繼續創作一系列以「剪影」為題的作品。這源於日本文化自古以來對「影」的美學，萬物瞬間的美麗，五感共鳴的風聲和花香，在陰暗中形成陰翳和明暗。

日語這一詞「kage（かげ）」不僅指光造成的影子，還指暗、人和物的形象、記憶、幻覺和短促的事情。作品的「剪影」讓我感動，而我從大自然中獲得的共鳴，也成為我作品的靈感之源。

在「剪影」的眾多含義中，我特別重視「光」。

我希望透過漆藝來表現大自然，讓人重新意識到，我們習以為常的大自然，其實是無可替代的。也希望作品能像「光」一樣，給人們帶來愉悅和希望。

Yoshihiko MURATA

Born in Kiryu, Japan, in 1977,Yoshihiko Murata obtained his Bachelor of Fine Arts in Kanazawa College of Art in 2001 and completed his training in Kanazawa Utatsuyama Craft Workshop in 2005.

Murata’s work relies heavily on the external play of light that creates silhouettes which continue his forms and flow indistinguishably from the sculptural pieces themselves. This engaging illusion teases one’s perception of where the black lacquer ends and the shadow begins.

He applies more than 20 coats of lacquer, each coat of which is polished, requiring several months to complete a single piece. It was his satisfactory mastery of lacquering that led him to develop his recent lyrical Silhouette Series whose lines twist and turn, swell and fade, like the sounds from a musical instrument.

Murata has exhibited extensively both in his native Japan and oversea countries such as Italy, Germany and US. Minneapolis Institute of Art in Minnesota, US acquired his work.

村田佳彥

村田佳彥於1977年日本桐生市出生，2001年在金澤美術工藝大學獲取藝術系學士，並於2005年在金澤卯辰山工藝工房完成了培訓。

村田偏愛光線與他的雕塑作品互動時產生的剪影，黑漆與影子交錯的效果，或延續或流動，使其作品引人入勝。

他每件作品都經塗上超過二十層以上的清漆，並逐層打磨，每每要耗上數月才完成一件作品。正是他對漆藝的精通掌握，促使他開發了抒情的剪影系列，其線條像樂器演奏的旋律般抑揚頓挫。

他曾在意大利、德國和美國等海外國家展出，作品更被美國明尼蘇達州Minneapolis Institute of Art收藏。