©Hisashi Yamamoto, Courtesy of Yumiko Chiba Associates
Summer Exhibition Vol. 2
August 31 (Wed) - September 3 (Sat), 2016
Venue：Yumiko Chiba Associates viewing room shinjuku
Park Grace Shinjuku Bldg., 206,
4-32-6 Nishi Shinjuku, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 160-0023
Closing Party: September 3 (Sat) 18:00 – 20:00
Hisashi Y amamoto flying saucer Yumiko Chiba Associates viewing room shinjuku is pleased to present from August 31, 2016,
a solo exhibition flying saucer by Hisashi Yamamoto as Summer Exhibition Vol. 2.
Hisashi Yamamoto was fond of calligraphy since he was a child and came across Yuichi Inoue’s works while
learning calligraphy at Tokyo Gakugei University. Then he has continued seeking after his own calligraphy
style through mingling with various people including Masaomi Unagami, Japanese art critic.
Yamamoto mentions, “for me, ‘what is written in a calligraphy work’ is not such a big issue”. So he earnestly
adheres to how the motif (character) in his work is written and whether the work itself is vivid or not, interesting
or not, rather than what the characters mean, and keeps working energetically, maintaining a consistent
stance.
This exhibition is scheduled to show a few each of his new works with a motif of “Haizara [Ash tray] ” as well
as “Mizuumi [Lake]”.
Artist Comment:
The biggest features of calligraphy is its being language. While abstract painting visualizes its concept to
the end, calligraphy explains its concept with signs. So they are totally different from each other. Abstract
painting seeks after forming a picture of concept at all times, which reminds me of a seed beginning to grow.
On the other hand, calligraphy aims at concretely presenting concept by language. Abstract paintings
always feel fresh and lively for me whenever l look at them.
Calligraphy cannot leave its being language and can only be free within routine written signs. It is an act “to
close” in the end, which means “to complete”. Calligraphy presets what is written and how to write it, so it
does not “wander” as abstract paintings. To put it good, calligraphy can be described as “integrity”. For me,
abstract painting means the current state of “insatiable urge to express” and on the other hand, calligraphy
is “resignation”, which shows the state of past. Calligraphy makes something predicted such as “I thought
about this, therefore I wrote this way”.
As far as I am concerned, I made the new signs which are figures and put them on top of language as
concept, then I could reach the point to realize the immense effect which can hardly have by only the normal
language form. I also think that I succeeded in raising the calligraphy to a level which could not have been
reached by writing only characters on a paper. Calligraphy has too many restrictions. Unless they are
loosened, one cannot be inspired to make new expressions. I really feel that my new expressions cannot be
called as calligraphy any more, whenever I look at them. I may be an artist who has exceeded the calligraphy
or deviated from it. Even though, I still call myself a calligrapher, which is certainly originated in my thought
mentioned at the beginning on difference between (abstract) paintings and calligraphy.
Hisashi Yamamoto, Calligrapher
August, 2016
■ Closing Party
September 3 (Sat), 2016, 18:00-20:00
Venue：Yumiko Chiba Associates viewing room shinjuku
■ Artist Profile
Hisashi Yamamoto, Calligrapher
1969 Born in Hiroshima
2015
Solo Exhibition Machine, La Galerie Métanoïa, Paris, UNAC SALON, Tokyo
2014
2013
Solo Exhibition Tower, Shimokita Art Space, Tokyo, Art Forum JARFO, Kyoto
Group Exhibition Japan/China Modern Elite Calligraphers Exhibition, Sho to Hisho no Kiwa
[Edge of Calligraphy and Non Calligraphy], The Museum of Kyoto
Participating in a calligraphers’ blog, Daily Shodo
Group Exhibition Art of Power Born of Pleasure, Hiroshima City Museum of Contemporary Art
Group Exhibition Mojiku, Tokyo Metropolitan Theater, etc.
Group Exhibition SEOUL CALLIGRAPHY BIENNALE, Seoul
Group Exhibition World Calligraphy Festival, Seoul
Group Exhibition HOMAGE to YU-ICHI by the TEN-SAKU-KAI
Engaged in reorganizing Yuiichi Inoue’s works for his catalogue raisonne at UNAC TOKYO
2011 2010
2009 2008
2006
2004 1991
■■For further information or images, please contact Yumiko Chiba Associates.
E-mail: [email protected]
Tel. +81-3-6276-6731
Yumiko Chiba Associates viewing room shinjuku URL:http//www.ycassociates.co.jp
Park Grace Shinjuku Bldg. 316, 4-32-6, Nishi-Shinjuku Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 160-0023 Japan.
Opening Hours: 12:00 - 19:00 (Closed on Sundays, Mondays, National Holidays)