YU HISHINUMA AND RYOTA WATANABE: MONOLITH

NANZUKA is pleased to present "MONOLITH,” a duo exhibition of new works by Yu Hishinuma and Ryota Watanabe at NANZUKA 2G.

December 21, 2024 - January 19, 2025

Yu Hishinuma, born in 1989 in Kanagawa Prefecture, graduated from the printmaking course at Musashino Art University in 2012 and completed his postgraduate studies there in 2015. His works, reminiscent of insects, animals, and plants, explore the mysticism of cultural elements like fetishism and animism. Using a unique material—emulsified vinyl acetate resin (commonly known as adhesive) combined with colored ink and Indian ink—Hishinuma creates pieces that embody a distinctive aesthetic.

Ryota Watanabe, born in 1998 in Saitama Prefecture, graduated with a master’s degree from the Tokyo University of the Arts Graduate School of Fine Arts in 2023. He creates works by combining pure painting techniques using brushes with destructive acts, such as scraping away layers of paint using tools like customized knives. These contrasting processes leave traces on the canvas, revealing layers of construction and deconstruction.

The works presented in this exhibition share a unique focus on the visualization of layered structures—an aspect often overlooked in traditional painting. Hishinuma employs a reverse playback technique to reproduce the foundational layers typically concealed in painting surfaces, revealing invisible narratives woven through time and matter. This invites viewers into a dialogue between the past and present. In contrast, Watanabe merges the constructive act of layering paint with the destructive act of scraping it away, simultaneously expressing the processes of creation and disintegration.

The layered compositions of both artists' works resemble geological strata, bringing forth hidden narratives and temporal traces embedded within materials. These innovative approaches reframe the act of creation itself as a new form of artistic expression.