YUGEN Gallery will hold Yuko Takagi's solo exhibition "The Soul Cries" from Saturday, July 22nd to Thursday, July 27th, 2023.

draw the cry of the soul

Born in Shizuoka Prefecture in 1976. It was natural for Takagi to follow the path of art, as he had been absorbed in making things since he was a child, as long as he had paper, pencils, and craft tools, he would forget the passage of time. Majored in Japanese painting at Aichi University of the Arts. After graduating from graduate school, he was enrolled in a university as a trainee and explored Japanese painting.

“The range of Japanese painting techniques is very wide, and even if you look at the works of other Japanese painters, it is often the case that you do not understand how they are painted. Japanese painting materials, including mineral pigments, are affected by conditions such as temperature and humidity, so you can paint as you wish. There are many things that do not become, and there is a depth that you can face for the rest of your life.”

Takagi, who is active as a Japanese painter, interacts with a variety of artists such as musicians, theater, and chefs. He has built up his own expression without limiting the area, and has presented not only two-dimensional expressions but also three-dimensional expressions and installation works. The theme to pursue is the spiritual world that spreads in the depths of human beings.

In this exhibition, "The Soul Cries," 24 new works will be presented with the theme of human beings struggling to overcome extremes, tears overflowing from touching the heartstrings, and the moment of the soul's cry. Takagi's cross-sectional view of art can be seen in his unique approach, such as using wax for the details of paintings drawn with mineral pigments, motifs that cannot be imagined from the image of Japanese paintings, and the vastness on the other side of the screen. Imagine that there is a world.

all emotions feed

“In my late twenties, I was not able to get the recognition I wanted in the art world, and the circumstances around me were very difficult. , When an acquaintance asked me, "Do you enjoy drawing?", it was a great opportunity to reconsider myself, and I realized that it is important to see things from various angles, not just one side. From there, I pushed forward with production, and I feel that it led to growth in my heart.”

In this way, Takagi senses that all of his emotions, both positive and negative, become food and his soul cries out. Instead of sinking into the darkness of self-consciousness, I found art as a magic that finds hope in it. Since then, as an artist living in an era of heavy anxiety, such as the Great East Japan Earthquake, the corona crisis, and war, I have been drawing in hopes of creating works that can be close to people who seek emotional support.

This time, in addition to mineral pigments and foil, I used wax to express spider webs and falling tears. The candle that shines and illuminates the surroundings is a symbol of prayer that is close to people's hearts, and the burning fire represents the brilliance of life and the finiteness of life.

"The heart pattern is delicate and serious. However, once the magic is cast, it becomes bold, bewitching, and comical. All emotions become food, and hope becomes an infinitely expanding universe."

connecting anguish to hope

Art is born out of suffering. Takagi himself says, "You can draw good pictures in difficult times. Life is not easy and there are many unpleasant things, but I hope I can turn my negative feelings into hope and courage and move on."

Connect suffering with hope. We feel that the magic that Yuko Takagi has quietly nurtured in her heart melts our hearts and a world of hope emerges.