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Lot Essay
As one the most influential artists in Japan, Kishio Suga is invited to 57th Venice Biennale, Viva Art Viva , in 2017. Other prominent exhibitions participated include, Paris Biennale (1973), 2nd Biennale of Sydney (1976), 38th Venice Biennale (1978) and 16th São Paulo Biennale (1981).
His work best embodies the characteristic of the movement that is generally known as the "Mono-ha" (object) school, and he has maintained these characteristics down to the present day. The movement although had a short duration from 1968 through the early 1970s, had a pivotal effect on Japanese contemporary art.
Challenging pre-existing concept about material and space, Mono-ha artists utilised raw, unworked materials such as bare wood, stone, clay, or water, and sought to draw out an artistic expression by arranging them, often temporarily and with minimal manipulation, within an environment.
Wood is one of the material Suga commonly uses as a base to examine inter-object relationships in their own existence and with the world itself.
By Means of a Divided Board (1988, Lot 592), divided the space vertically and identically, reminding the manipulation of space by skyscraper architecture within an infinite space from earth to sky.
The wood panel is horizontally divided into two symmetrical spaces by a layer of black colour in Separation and Conjunction - Occupied Existence (1988, Lot 593), the wavy iron tape travels horizontally where the two spaces separate and combine, suggesting the existence is not unilateral, rather it is multilateral.
The division of space in Supplemented Material–34 (1984, Lot 594) is executed by engraved pattern together with a shape diagonal line. The application of white putty on un-engraved half, stroke by stoke in an opposite direction against the engraved pattern, creates subtle tension, suggesting reworking of space is needed in response to the supplemented material.
The significance of Suga's work lies in his gradual efforts to bring this kind of interaction with the external world into the realm of art: this interaction with the world itself will form an art.
His work best embodies the characteristic of the movement that is generally known as the "Mono-ha" (object) school, and he has maintained these characteristics down to the present day. The movement although had a short duration from 1968 through the early 1970s, had a pivotal effect on Japanese contemporary art.
Challenging pre-existing concept about material and space, Mono-ha artists utilised raw, unworked materials such as bare wood, stone, clay, or water, and sought to draw out an artistic expression by arranging them, often temporarily and with minimal manipulation, within an environment.
Wood is one of the material Suga commonly uses as a base to examine inter-object relationships in their own existence and with the world itself.
By Means of a Divided Board (1988, Lot 592), divided the space vertically and identically, reminding the manipulation of space by skyscraper architecture within an infinite space from earth to sky.
The wood panel is horizontally divided into two symmetrical spaces by a layer of black colour in Separation and Conjunction - Occupied Existence (1988, Lot 593), the wavy iron tape travels horizontally where the two spaces separate and combine, suggesting the existence is not unilateral, rather it is multilateral.
The division of space in Supplemented Material–34 (1984, Lot 594) is executed by engraved pattern together with a shape diagonal line. The application of white putty on un-engraved half, stroke by stoke in an opposite direction against the engraved pattern, creates subtle tension, suggesting reworking of space is needed in response to the supplemented material.
The significance of Suga's work lies in his gradual efforts to bring this kind of interaction with the external world into the realm of art: this interaction with the world itself will form an art.