We visited Masato Mizutani’s solo exhibition “12.3 Billion Souls.”
The venue was HARMAS GALLERY in Kiyosumi-Shirakawa.
HARMAS GALLERYInstallation view
The title of this solo exhibition, “12.3 Billion Souls,” comes from a work whose motif is the Basquiat painting that entrepreneur Yusaku Maezawa purchased in 2017 for 12.3 billion yen (the work’s own title uses the price in US dollars).
Masato Mizutani, ≪110,487,500 Dollars from Mori Building (Untitled/Jean-Michel Basquiat)≫, 2019
Mizutani’s works begin with a ground built up from many layers of acrylic paint applied to a wooden panel.
This layered paint is carved out with a knife until the panel is exposed, and fine holes are drilled through the panel. Paint is then pushed through from the back of the panel; it emerges through the holes on the front and gradually accumulates on the surface.
≪110,487,500 Dollars from Mori Building (Untitled/Jean-Michel Basquiat)≫ (photographed from an oblique angle)
The colors of the paint pushed through are determined by paintings from art history that are affixed to the back of the panel.
≪110,487,500 Dollars from Mori Building (Untitled/Jean-Michel Basquiat)≫ (photographed from the side)Reference image of the Basquiat work that served as the motif — photographed at the concurrent Basquiat exhibition at Mori Art MuseumMasato Mizutani, ≪The Throne Room (Crucifixion/Francis Bacon)≫, 2019≪The Throne Room (Crucifixion/Francis Bacon)≫ (photographed from the side)Masato Mizutani, ≪David Hockney: 2 (David Hockney・Lucian Freud)≫≪David Hockney: 2 (David Hockney・Lucian Freud)≫ (photographed from below)
The accumulated layers act like time built up out of history, while the paint bleeding out reads as the energy the paintings emit.
Another series, ≪Rejoice≫, is made by slicing into a linen canvas mounted on a wooden panel, so that acrylic paint emerges from the back through to the front surface.
Installation view — right: ≪Rejoice: 1≫, 2019Masato Mizutani, ≪Rejoice: 4≫, 2019Masato Mizutani, ≪Rejoice: 2≫, 2019Works were also on display in the back room.Masato Mizutani, ≪Rejoice: 3≫, 2019
개인전 타이틀 “123억 혼”은, 실업가 Yusaku Maezawa가 2017년에 123억 엔에 구입한 Basquiat 작품을 모티브로 삼은 작품에서 따온 것입니다(작품 타이틀은 달러 표기).
Masato Mizutani ≪110,487,500 Dollars from Mori Building (Untitled/Jean-Michel Basquiat)≫ 2019년
Mizutani의 작품은, 목제 패널 위에 아크릴 물감을 여러 층 겹쳐 밑칠을 만들어 나갑니다.
적층된 물감은 패널이 드러날 때까지 나이프로 도려내지고, 패널에는 미세한 구멍이 뚫립니다. 뒷면에서 물감을 밀어내면, 그 구멍을 통해 정면에 물감이 배어 나와 서서히 쌓여 갑니다.
≪110,487,500 Dollars from Mori Building (Untitled/Jean-Michel Basquiat)≫ ※비스듬한 각도에서 촬영
밀려 나오는 물감의 색상은, 패널 뒷면에 붙여진 미술사상의 회화 작품에 따라 결정됩니다.
≪110,487,500 Dollars from Mori Building (Untitled/Jean-Michel Basquiat)≫ ※측면에서 촬영모티브가 된 Basquiat 작품의 참고 이미지 — 같은 시기에 Mori Art Museum에서 열린 Basquiat 전시에서 촬영Masato Mizutani ≪The Throne Room (Crucifixion/Francis Bacon)≫ 2019년≪The Throne Room (Crucifixion/Francis Bacon)≫ ※측면에서 촬영Masato Mizutani ≪David Hockney: 2 (David Hockney・Lucian Freud)≫≪David Hockney: 2 (David Hockney・Lucian Freud)≫ ※아래에서 촬영
층층이 쌓인 레이어는 역사를 쌓아 온 시간과도 같고, 흘러넘치는 물감은 회화로부터 발산되는 에너지처럼 느껴집니다.
또한 또 다른 작품 ≪환희≫ 시리즈는, 목제 패널에 붙여진 마포 캔버스를 잘게 갈라, 뒤에서 앞면으로 아크릴 물감이 배어 나오도록 만든 것입니다.
전시 전경 — 오른쪽: ≪Rejoice: 1≫ 2019년Masato Mizutani ≪Rejoice: 4≫ 2019년Masato Mizutani ≪Rejoice: 2≫ 2019년백야드에도 작품이 전시되어 있었습니다.Masato Mizutani ≪Rejoice: 3≫ 2019년
