Front:
Photo: Taishi Karasuda
Back:
SHINGYO USUI
1000 Drawings
A thousand drawings occupy the entire gallery space, from
ceiling to floor, which have been executed by Shingyo Usui in
the past few years. These drawings are repetitions of the same
figures, done in bold. Japanese ink on white paper. The squares
of
paper are connected vertically, forming a pattern. The flow of
figures widens as it approaches the bottom and the effect is like
waterfalls filling the gallery walls.
What is it that is flowing? The figures can be read as
mountains, animals or human figures. The artist does not insist
on any specific interpretation. Although the drawings were done
from live models, Usui avoids explanatory realism. In observing
the human figure, he encountered visual rhythms that permeate
all nature.
The artist is also a Buddhist priest whose temple is in
Hiroshima, Japan. Traditional "sumi" ink is a very natural
medium for him. His choice of the human figure as his motif
comes from constantly encountering life and death as a priest,
and the choice of black and white symbolizes for him the
purification of the world.
SHINGYO USUI
1000 Drawings
Tuesday May 28 - Saturday June 15, 2002
Reception: Saturday June 1, 3:30-6 pm
CÆLUM GALLERY
508-526 W 26th St. Suite 315
New York, NY 10001
(Tuesday - Saturday 11am-6pm)
Tel: 212 924-4161 Fax: 212 924-4353
e-mail caelumgallery@aol.com
www.caelumgallery.com
Shigenori Takagi
Assistant Professor, Hijiyama College
"1000 drawings-detail" 2002
sumi ink on paper
