members

Following the initial philosophy of "creating a place for mutual exchange and refinement of skills among artists," we invite the members to create a new work every year for our collection. We support artists in this unique way, also exhibiting the collected pieces at the Shiseido Art House, located in Kakegawa City, Shizuoka.

Today, media art and installations are prominent trends in the art world, and the perception of art has been changing widely. In the midst of this trend, we focus on paintings and sculptures exploring the art of today in these two mediums, and look to discover their appeals and possibilities. This year marks the fourth exhibition in the series, which began in 2001.

Yasue Kodama, a Kyoto-based artist whose theme is, "the willow is green, the flower is red," draws scenes of plants, her recent motif, with a supple touch. Kyoko Sera's move to New York last year has refreshed her spirit, and has allowed her to continue exploring the experimental nature of her work. Toeko Tatsuno deals in a unique form of abstract art, spotlighting minor matters in daily life. For this exhibition, she will submit a painting of a large scale (2910×2182mm). In the past, Yuumi Domoto used to superimpose thick black lines on top of vivid colors, but the form of her lines has changed completely since September 11, 2001. The lines she draws remind us of the emotion and the feeling of "uncertain reality" that all human beings share. Mitsuko Miwa, based in Nagoya, will exhibit a portrait of her friend, Ebba. Ebba's eyes, as drawn by Miwa, tells viewers silently about "seeing." Naoaki Yamamoto, the only member who works in the field of nihonga, continues to create works that explore the subject of "the myth of Ikaros." He used to draw splashes falling at sharp angles, but they have been transformed by new materials and technique. The tense energy on his canvases awaits the moment of release. With her "rings of steel," iron plates cut by heat, Noe Aoki constructs her forms lightly, as if piling up blocks of air. As the eyes of viewers move, the form shifts. Rury Iwata's installation work combines cast glass and wood. A reconstructed mass of glass with light shining inside the transparent glass leaves a strong, lasting impression. Since 2002, Wakiro Sumi has used cast bronze to explore classic sculpture and the subject of dance. For this exhibition, he will present a form inspired by the Trojan Princess Cassandra of Greece, standing firm against a strong wind.

Apart from the exhibition at the Shiseido Gallery, each year a piece by one of the three sculptors of the fifth Tsubaki-kai will be displayed outside the Shiseido Art House. This year, Aoki will create a new work to display. Three sculptures were exhibited in the past; the first one by Aoki, the second by Iwata, and the third by Sumi.