A decade of depicting the "Samurai"

Nishimoto Yuki is a sumi-e artist who continues to attract attention from around the world. His sumi-e works were featured in the American trading card game "Magic: The Gathering," which has 50 million users worldwide. He has also been involved in live painting at an event for Italian luxury sports car manufacturer Ferrari, image art for the decorative float "Jugoban Yamakasa Solaria" of the Fukuoka Hakata Gion Yamakasa, a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage, and was in charge of part of the venue decoration for the "2023 FINA World Aquatics Championships Fukuoka." His activities show no signs of stopping in 2023.

In particular, his live painting at Art Basel Hong Kong 2023, which saw the participation of 177 exhibitors from 32 countries and regions, received high praise locally, and we are still fresh in our memory, so we can expect even greater leaps from him.

This exhibition, "Sukuminosumi," focuses on samurai, which Nishimoto has been painting since he first began his career as an artist, and is made up of 12 old and new works. The samurai, a symbol of integrity and fighting spirit, expresses the identity of the Japanese people.

The conflict between fear and courage

Nishimoto's solo exhibition "Flying Ink" was held at the YUGEN Gallery in May last year, his first in Tokyo in three and a half years. About a year has passed since his last exhibition, which fully conveyed the dynamism of all living things, from classical motifs such as dragons and tigers to modern athletes, and he says that he has become increasingly interested in the relationship between the mind and the body.

"I used to draw samurai because I was attracted to their coolness, but when I saw real armor and swords, I began to feel a sense of fear. I want to express the intimidating presence they give to others, the fear they harbor, and the courage they have to overcome these."

Nishimoto learned about the fear that accompanies fighting through kickboxing, which he started last year. Although he started as a form of exercise, the fear he felt when facing a human changed his view of samurai. He is also in charge of the main visuals for the Kinshuki National High School Judo Tournament and the Gyokuryu National High School Kendo Tournament to be held in July 2023. At a time when he feels a connection with martial arts, he will portray the tension of human distance, where the outcome of a fight can be decided the moment the opponents grapple.

"I've been drawing samurai for a long time, and after 10 years of painting, I feel that I've finally established a foundation and can make a leap forward. I want to draw them in a natural way, without artificial lines."

While he feels that his technique has improved with experience and that his expression has matured, he also feels a sense of crisis that his fighting spirit is fading as he has become able to express delicately. Aiming to become an artist, he pursued the expression of a "one-shot" and arrived at ink painting after trying all kinds of painting methods, starting with oil painting. "Samurai" is an approach that seeks to regain the tension that cannot be turned back from the moment the first stroke is made. From past works to new works written specifically for this exhibition, you can trace the evolution of his brushwork over the past 10 years, which is a must-see.

Proof of Living

Nishimoto feels fulfilled by the increased opportunities for live painting that he has had since this year. It seems that he has reaffirmed the origins of his own creativity.

"Concentrating and writing while being watched by others requires physical strength, but I was reminded that my mind must be even stronger. (Performing live for the first time in a while) was just scary, but I received energy from the people who came to watch. I realized that I was able to start doing the things I wanted to do again."

Nishimoto says that since his solo exhibition last year, he has begun to think more deeply about each piece, which has led to him producing fewer works. He has renewed his determination, saying that he would be sorry if he didn't approach his works in the best possible condition at the best possible time, as they are only possible thanks to the people who support him behind the scenes, such as the craftsmen who work on Echizen washi paper in Fukui, and the audience.

The conflict between fear and the courage to overcome it. The essence of Nishimoto's ink painting lies not only in the live painting, but in the fact that each stroke of the brush condenses the very essence of life itself.

A thread of tension stretches between the two of them. Is it fear or courage that pulls at it? The release of perfectly synchronized mind and body is filled with the dynamism of life.