Shinichi Sakamoto

坂本 伸市

Informal Poetry

There is something "lurking" or "irreplaceable" in artists" works. In other words, the works "ask some questions" to the viewers who are beyond artists expectation. Art work, which is, in its nature, formless and can not be recognized by our experience, will be converted into the things that possess a kind of an aura. My concept of producing works is to identify the origin lying hidden behind the works, and to put into aesthetic practice to assist the configuration of the lines and shapes that are likely to slip from its essence during the time of production. I have been looking for the essence that i yearned for and also the metaphysical form on the other side of the shape in reality, playing with the substance. The origin as i mentioned, which is like the place we humans eventually go back after our finite life, means the "Physis", eternal nature or the origin of art works. Pleasure of art activity is to get released from a sense of emptiness and convert it into catharsis. At the point of enjoying that joy, we could complete the art work as the entrance to the transcendental world, and have it become a symbol. It's lurking on the other side of the trees and forests.

The starting point to which our limited lives will eventually return is the eternal nature and the origin, physis (φύσις). The joy of the artwork lies in liberation from a sense of nihilism and a transformation into catharsis. At that point, the artwork is completed and becomes a symbol as an entrance to the transcendental world. It lurks beyond the trees and forests. The Enso (circle) is a calligraphic and painted work that symbolically expresses such nature and the universe in the context of Zen philosophy. My series of works is synonymous with the Enso in the modern era.

1963  Born in Tokyo

1985  Graduated from Nihon University College of Art

1986~2021  National Exhibition (National Art Center, Tokyo)

2000  Runner-up Grand Prize, 14th Tama Art Exhibition

15th Honorable Mention Award (Ome City Museum of Art)

2003,'04,'05,'07,'09,'11,'14,'17,'19: CAF.N Exhibition (Saitama Museum of Modern Art)

2010  Kokugakai Associate Member Excellent Work Award (Kokuten Exhibition)

Solo exhibition  1990,'98, 2001,'04,'08,'11,'15

Member of Kokugakai, Member of Japan Artists Association, Member of CAF.N Association

2019 ART EXPO 2019 SYSTEMA GALLERY OSAKA

2018 SYSTEMA BIENNALE 2018 ITALY

         ART RIGA

2017 ART MARKET BUDAPEST

         AFFORDABLE ART FAIR AMSTERDAM

2016 ART FAIR ASIA FUKUOKA

         SYSTEMA BIENNALE 2016

         ART EXPO OSAKA