Four years have passed since the pandemic. Although the situation has not yet been resolved, we are on the road to returning to a "pre-Corona" lifestyle, and in fact, I feel that we are on our way back. However, I also feel that something has changed in my mind.

Looking back, the past few years of being forced to remain in the house where I live, in the region, and, by extension, in the country, have forced me to pay attention to the country, to my surroundings, and to my life. We cannot go outside, but we can pick up our cell phones and receive information from all over the world.  We have become aware that we are living in the real world while being loosely connected to the virtual world. As symbolized by the "stay-home" situation, we are forced to face a radius of a few meters that we can see, and we are also subjected to information on the Internet that is updated every minute. It seems to me that in the four years of the pandemic, we have been forced to think about everything related to our daily lives, both in the virtual world and in the real world.

When one traces the work of Yasuji Hanamori, who launched the magazine "kurashi-no-techo" immediately after World War II and served as its editor-in-chief for many years, one cannot help but think that living means knowing science in the broadest sense, knowing economics, chemistry, philosophy, literature, psychology, and art. Hanamori conveys this in plain language and in a realistic form (product tests, for example), so that at times it seems as if he has no connection with such a small and difficult field.

 

However, we realize that thinking about life, the things that make us who we are and the things that have made us who we are, is quite a hard and exciting task. Our lives must be made possible by the exquisite balance of various intricately intertwined elements.

Now, the three artists in this exhibition have in common the fact that they look at and depict things around them.

 

Okawa Nanako depicts the scenery of her hometown and things she sees in her daily life. While there is a lyrical quality to her work, as if she were looking at nostalgic scenery, there is also a somewhat dry impression, as if she were taking snapshots.

Yasuyoshi Tokida draws shapes traced from everyday objects. By combining colors and shapes, she creates humorous works that respond to the viewer's everyday conversation.

 

Haruna Niiya observes familiar creatures and nature, and slowly builds up her images through repeated plate making and printing to create familiar landscapes.

Their works, which look at everyday life, make us aware of where we are now, and are full of charm that reminds us that this world is not so bad.

 

Walls Tokyo will exhibit and sell works by Okawa Nanako, Yasuyoshi Tokida, Haruna Niiya.

＊Artworks are subject to change without notice.

 

Interview with Nanako Okawa, Yasuyoshi Tokida, and Haruna Niiya, Three-person Exhibition