Sandstorm
August 10 - September 8 (Extended until September 15), 2024
Opening Reception: August 17, 2024 from 6-9pm
Curated by Yurina Hattori-Roche
for Galerie Lulla
"Sandstorm," presented by Galerie Lulla, brings together the works of Harold Ancart, Piero Golia, Settai Komura, Calvin Marcus, Toru Otani, Daichiro Shinjo, Ikko Tanaka and Tadanori Yokoo in an exploration of cross-cultural narratives through the medium of woodcut printing. The exhibition draws its title from Haruki Murakami’s novel Kafka on the Shore, where the metaphor of an internal sandstorm represents a deeply transformative journey. As Murakami writes, “This storm is you. Something inside of you… And once the storm is over you won’t be the same person who walked in.” This powerful imagery forms the conceptual backbone of the exhibition, where the artists, much like the characters in the novel, confront and reimagine their own cultural identities through the evolving practice of woodcut prints.
The selected works juxtapose traditional Japanese woodcut techniques, such as mokuhanga, with contemporary interpretations, creating a dialogue between East and West, past and present. Each artist's approach to the medium reflects a journey—akin to Murakami’s sandstorm—that alters and reshapes their perspectives on heritage and modernity. By collaborating with traditional printmakers and infusing contemporary themes, the works in Sandstorm transcend cultural boundaries, offering new interpretations of identity and transformation. Through these prints, the exhibition highlights the enduring power of the woodcut medium to capture the complexity of personal and collective evolution in a world where tradition and innovation constantly intertwine.
「Sandstorm」は、ギャラリー・ルラが主催する展覧会であり、ハロルド・アンカール、ピエロ・ゴリア、小村雪岱、カルヴィン・マーカス、大谷透、新城大一郎、横尾忠徳、田中一光の作品を集め、木版画を通じて異文化間の物語を探求しています。本展のタイトルは、村上春樹の小説『海辺のカフカ』に由来し、内面的な砂嵐が変容の旅路を象徴するメタファーとして描かれています。村上はこう書いています。「この嵐は、あなた自身なのです。あなたの中にある何かです…そして嵐が過ぎたあと、そこから出てきたときには、嵐に入る前の自分とは違う自分がいる」。この強力なイメージが展覧会の骨格を形成し、作家たちは小説の登場人物のように、進化する木版画の実践を通じて自らの文化的アイデンティティと向き合い、再解釈しています。
選ばれた作品は、伝統的な木版技法である木版画（木版画）と現代的な解釈を対比させ、東西、過去と現在の対話を生み出しています。各作家の木版画へのアプローチは、村上の砂嵐のように、彼らの伝統と現代性に対する見方を変え、再形成する旅を反映しています。彼らは伝統的な版画家と協力し、現代的なテーマを取り入れることで、「Sandstorm」の作品は文化的な境界を超え、アイデンティティと変容に対する新しい解釈を提供しています。これらの版画を通じて、展覧会は木版画という媒体が持つ、伝統と革新が絶えず交錯する世界において、個人と集団の進化の複雑さを捉える力を強調しています。
Participating Artists
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Harold Ancart (b. 1980, Brussels) creates paintings, sculptures, and installations that explore our experience of natural landscapes and built environments. Ancart graduated with an MFA from École Nationale Supérieure des Arts Visuels de La Cambre, Brussels, in 2007. His work, influenced by both European and American artistic traditions, isolates moments of poetry in everyday surroundings. His notable solo exhibitions include the Menil Collection in Houston and the Walker Art Center in Minneapolis.
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Piero Golia (b. 1974, Naples Italy) Italian-born, Los Angeles–based artist Piero Golia is known for his diverse and unpredictable practice that often expands the possibilities of art. His works, ranging from physical installations to immaterial statements, challenge viewers to reconsider their perceptions. Golia has exhibited internationally, including at the Biennale di Venezia and the Los Angeles County Museum of Art.
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Komura Settai (1887-1940) was a master of nihonga, the traditional Japanese style of painting. He studied under renowned artists such as Araki Kanpo and Shimomura Kanzan and worked extensively as an illustrator and graphic artist. Settai’s work is heavily influenced by mid-18th century ukiyo-e masters and is known for its delicate balance of suggestion and revelation.
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Calvin Marcus (b. 1988, San Francisco) is known for his eclectic and experimental approach, creating distinct bodies of work that explore unsettling themes across various media. His practice ranges from using thick pigment sticks to render playful yet tension-filled imagery to detailed watercolors and silk-screened drawings on hand-sewn linen. Marcus's work is held in the permanent collections of the Museum of Modern Art, New York; the Whitney Museum of American Art, New York; and the Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles.
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Toru Otani (b. 1988, Kanazawa) uses found materials such as sandpaper, empty cigarette packages, and vintage maps as canvases for his interventions. Otani’s work explores enigmatic marks and images, capturing fleeting, often inexplicable moments, and inviting viewers to ponder their significance. His compositions in colored pencil often involve concealing or revealing pre-existing graphic elements, forming an unsolvable rebus-like puzzle.
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Daichiro Shinjo (b. 1992, Miyako Island, Okinawa) revitalizes traditional Japanese calligraphy by blending classical Shodō with contemporary design principles. Influenced by his grandfather, a respected monk and folklorist, Shinjo’s work is deeply rooted in Zen philosophy and Okinawan spiritual culture. He has exhibited at venues such as Untitled Art in San Francisco and Curators Cube in Tokyo, and has collaborated with brands like Comme des Garçons and Hermès. Shinjo continues to push the boundaries of calligraphy and design from his studio on Miyako Island.
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Ikko Tanaka (1930–2002) was a graphic designer renowned for blending Japanese tradition with modern design. Born in Nara, Japan, he established his Tokyo design studio in 1963, creating iconic works such as the 1981 poster for the Nihon Buyo Performance. His collaborations with cultural giants like Hanae Mori, Issey Miyake, and Mazda cemented his legacy, leading to his induction into the New York Art Directors Club Hall of Fame in 1994.
