ARTIST INTERVIEW

An exclusive interview with artist TAKUYA SUGIYAMA, whose abstract paintings evoke the profound beauty of nature and the dynamism of life.
"High-resolution capture of the dynamism of life"
TAKUYA SUGIYAMA Solo Exhibition "Reincarnation" <Saturday, July 20th, 2024 - Tuesday, August 6th, 2024>

Sugiyama Takuya's solo exhibition "Reincarnation" is a series of works that are born from a chain reaction of a single painting, and are structured so that they influence each other. What is the meaning behind this exhibition, which is filled with first-time attempts for Sugiyama Takuya? We asked him.

--Have you ever been influenced by anything in your creative process?

There was a concert of Steve Reich's "Drumming" (※). In this piece, the performers repeatedly play the same melody and rhythm, without any intention of "let's let you hear this bit of the chorus," and they completely suppress their self-consciousness and immerse themselves in the performance. The image of a human being with no room for ego is beautiful, and the expression of the rhythms interfering with each other, influencing each other and becoming one with the music, felt like a prayer.

I was greatly influenced by his approach to painting, which depicts how one phenomenon gives rise to another in a chain reaction, and how they mutually influence each other, as well as his way of being an artist, believing that creation is not a way to vent one's emotions or make a self-assertion.

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-- Just as in contemporary music, when sounds that seem dissonant are placed next to each other they become a "resonance," in Sugiyama's works colors meet and become one.

This time, I tried to focus on paintings that lie between representation and abstraction, so I chose a concrete subject as the motif. Normally, I would paint realistically using easy-to-use art materials, but the paint I use, called alkyd resin, is a difficult material to handle because it flows and spreads on the canvas and the colors keep mixing.

For example, when I draw a frog, the colors start to blur and I end up with a confusing pattern, but I often find myself unable to find the motif. That's why I have no choice but to face the motif thoroughly. I feel that my concentration on the subject crystallizes and becomes a painting, and that's where the beauty lies. The higher the resolution (of the painting), the more vivid and vital the painting becomes.

I think of alkyd resin paint as a kind of wave, and its uncertainty is what makes it interesting. Painting with this paint is like surfing, and even in surfing, you can't control the waves. Riding the waves is about harmony, and being one with them allows you to take action. Even if you try to control the colors, the colors won't appear if you just leave them alone. I've come to realize that beautiful colors emerge when the colors come together in harmony.

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-- That is the essence of creation, which eliminates intention. I heard that you thought about the composition of the exhibition like painting a picture. Please tell us the background to this.

The moment I face the canvas, something I want to paint comes to me, and the finished form comes into view as I paint. It's not a pre-existing drawing. But up until now, when I've created an exhibition, I've always created a concept and then built up the elements. It's the exact opposite approach to painting. Because I've studied environmental design, I realized that I was tied down by concepts, and I wanted to dismantle them as well.

I have worked on stage direction and scriptwriting, so this time I used words inspired by pictures to create a work. However, if I create a story first, the words will influence the pictures, so I combined words that came to mind while I was drawing, without being bound by their meaning.

There is no constant moment in an exhibition space, even with sound and light. It changes every day, so I thought it would be good if works that lie somewhere between the concrete and the abstract were born, and that the works would approach each other spontaneously and become a new story.

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-- The combination of words with no clear meaning is exactly like abstract painting. The image of this exhibition is that the works reacted to each other and crystallized, but the title "Reincarnation" means "reincarnation, rebirth." What is the meaning behind this?

I consider all living things to be phenomena. This time, I have placed fresh flowers in the center of the venue as a gimmick for the exhibition. Since the exhibition will last for about three weeks, they will naturally change. At this time, the time it takes for the flowers to wither may seem like the process of death. However, I don't think anyone can actually distinguish the point at which the flowers bloom and when they begin to wither.

I believe that in the process of human death, being alive and being dead occur simultaneously. In this way, the boundaries between animals and plants, nature and humans disappear. Concepts are about recognizing things in a divided way, such as animals and plants, life and death. Having concepts narrows the dynamism of life. It should be something broader and freer.

It is said that reincarnation is when the body disappears at death and the soul is reborn in another body. However, I think of reincarnation as a process in which the phenomenon of life influences each other, giving birth to new phenomena, and changing. I imagine this swell as vitality or a sense of life. I would be happy if you could sense a sense of life on a grand scale in this way.

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Breaking away from rules, we encounter colors and shapes directly, and are interested in the movement of the mind and body itself. At that moment, we sense the brilliance of the phenomenon called life. Sugiyama Takuya's solo exhibition "Reincarnation", which enhances the resolution of the sense of life, will be held from July 20th (Sat) to August 6th (Tue).

*Composed by Steve Reich in 1971. Performed by nine percussionists, two singers, and a piccolo player.

ABOUT ARTIST

TAKUYA SUGIYAMA.

Painter. Born in Kanagawa Prefecture in 1987. Graduated from Tama Art University, Department of Environmental Design. Started his career as an artist at AGORA GALLERY in New York, USA. In parallel with presenting his paintings, he has collaborated with apparel brands TAAKK and MIDIUMISOLID, and worked on store displays for MARcourt DESIGN EYE, a select shop at Tokyu Plaza Ginza. In recent years, he has appeared as an actor in films such as "Pink and Gray" (directed by Yukisada Isao) and "Ken and Kazu" (directed by Koji Hiroshi), which won the Splash Division Award at the 28th Tokyo International Film Festival. His activities are diverse, including writing and directing stage plays. In 2023, he will be in charge of installation, artwork, and music production for the event "BEYOND by Platinum" hosted by AMERICAN EXPRESS at the Museum of Contemporary Art Tokyo.

To the artist page

ABOUT EXHIBITION

Exhibition

TAKUYA SUGIYAMA. Solo exhibition "Reincarnation"

Venue

YUGEN Gallery
KD Minami Aoyama Building 4F, 3-1-31 Minamiaoyama, Minato-ku, Tokyo

Dates

July 20, 2024 (Sat) – August 6, 2024 (Tuesday)

Opening Hours

Weekdays: 13:00-19:00
Weekends and holidays: 13:00-20:00
*Ends at 17:00 on the final day only

Closed Days

None

Reception Dates

July 20th (Sat) Limited preview for invited guests only

Date of presence

Every day except Thursday, July 25th and Wednesday, July 31st. *Visitor days may change. Please check the pinned post on the gallery’sInstagramfor the latest information.

Admission Fee

free

Notes

Please note that the dates and opening hours may change without notice depending on the situation.

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