One of the artists who caught my attention most at Geisai 2019 was Kenta Takahashi, a third-year student in the Nihonga (Japanese-style painting) department.
On the 4th floor of the Painting Building at Tokyo University of the Arts’ Ueno campus, the third-year students of the Department of Painting, Nihonga major, in the Faculty of Fine Arts held their exhibition.
The space was filled with works reminiscent of the so-called “Inten” style.
For a contemporary art fan, to be honest, it was not the most comfortable space to be in….
Kenta Takahashi
Among such surroundings, there was a striking set of works that stood out — the pieces by Kenta Takahashi.
Kenta Takahashi exhibited three works.
His works are clearly different from those around them — in motif, color, composition, and size.
Takahashi is drawn to Japanese culture, and, with a minimalist sensibility, produces portrait-like paintings. He reportedly begins each piece by drawing the preparatory sketch on a computer.
Kenta Takahashi, woman, 1303mm×894mm Hemp paper, mineral pigments, 2019
He is also considering working with oil or acrylic paint, but he sees an overlap between the tactile quality of mineral pigments and digital dots — an association that ties into his own conceptual approach.
Kenta Takahashi, manKenta Takahashi, city (blue), 300mm×600mm Kumohada hemp paper, mineral pigments, silver leaf, lacquer, 2019
Encountering young, extraordinary talent always lifts the spirit.
I hope he keeps producing more works, refining his own style, and continues to grow. May the nail that sticks out stick out even further, and give us all the more art to enjoy.
