Hino gallery is pleased to present a solo exhibition by Hiraku Kore-eda from Monday, June 7th, 2021.

After a ten-year hiatus, for the 2017 exhibition of Kore-eda’s work at Hino gallery, he presented oil paintings featuring motifs of plants. However, the artist was not depicting still life or landscape: the works were generated based on the artist’s perception, focusing more on events occurring around the motifs, such as fluctuating light and variable colors (the atmospheric phenomena). This is difficult to physically catch in reality, more so than the plants themselves. Kore-eda has continued to work on this series since then and the most recent works will be included in the show this time.

The process of how to create the work remains the same as before: Kore-eda firstly films plants moving in and around the space, then selects a scene from the video as a still image. The image is then enlarged and transferred onto canvas, and finally rendered through the application of paint. Since it is painted and colored thoroughly while the artist is carefully looking at the monitor screen where the captured image is displayed, and so as not to miss any trivial changes that happen in the moment, subtle contrasts of light and delicate color gradation are consequently brought into the painting.

Although the image is seemingly digital, there are actually a lot of matière qualities including the layering of paint and the build-up of brush marks which are noticeable when taking a closer look. These qualities act as mediators allowing the viewers to recognize that this is a painting, and at the same time, the materiality can be regarded metaphorically emphasizing that both the tangible and the intangible co-exist in this world, and it seems to suggest the importance of having a broad perspective and flexible sensibility to perceive it.

Kore-eda is attempting to perceive a macrocosmic world that cannot be experienced through visual perception from a microscopic perspective alone, and vice versa, which underlines the artist’s insatiable fascination with perception. If this is the essence of Kore-eda’s work, then what is depicted on the canvas will appear more complex and multilayered.

Hino gallery will be presenting a solo exhibition by Kore-eda for the first time in three years. We hope you will enjoy his works from a variety of perspectives and approach the work with a flexible sensibility.

*To prevent the spread of COVID-19, no opening reception will be held. Please wear a mask when you come to the gallery. Also, please note that our regular opening hours have changed to 11am - 6pm. The period of the exhibition and opening hours may change according to future circumstances. We appreciate your understanding and cooperation.