What is “K’s Concept” ?

Notes on the Exhibition: “Colors Up Close, Gradations at a Distance

“K’s Concept” is an exhibition that grew out of my desire to increase opportunities for young artists to exhibit their work in public.  My own feelings about art have been a point of departure, and beyond that my hope that those who attend the exhibition will appreciate works of art by a variety of artists with diverse artistic styles.

Although art appreciation has been an interest of mine since my youth, I first started making my own artwork after I had turned 50.  I always had the lingering feeling that there had to be some other way of relating to art.  The more I consider it the more I think art is important to us humans, something that is fundamental to the human condition.  I believe art has the power to bring people together in remarkable ways, and have often wondered whether the world might not become a livelier place through art.

For the world to gain energy from art, the supporting foundations of the art world need to expand and nurture the ranks of new and young artists.  Perhaps the most orthodox if not the most direct way to support young artists is to visit their shows and purchase their works.  However, I thought there must be different, perhaps more interesting ways to achieve this goal.  The problem was, I was not quite sure what those ways might be.

A casual conversation with Mr. Shigeru Idei, my painting teacher at the Ueno no Mori Art School for the last ten years, offered a suggestion that led to the foundation for what has become the “K’s Concept” Exhibition.  The idea was for me myself to choose young artists whose work I admired, and to mount an exhibition of their work that would raise their profiles and help build an audience for them and their work.  Mr.Idei introduced me to the Lobby Gallery of the Keio Plaza Hotel, and with their generous support we have been able to make the “K’s Concept” Exhibition a reality.

During the preparatory stages, I was fortunate to be introduced to the exciting works of two young enthusiastic artists, Ms. Hidemi Shimura and Mr. Iori Yoshimoto.  Ms. Shimura’s works, using silk embroidery thread wrapped around acrylic boards, create a harmony of a range of bold and complex colors. The seemingly simple black and white of Mr. Yoshimoto’s landscape paintings using graphite powder and Chinese ink transmit the rich, deep and intricate nuances of the undertone.

I wish the viewers will enjoy the contrast of colors and gradations created by these two artists, each with completely different artistic styles.  I also hope that this show will serve as a steppingstone for the two artists’ productive and successful careers in the coming years. 

Finally, I would like to express my sincere gratitude to Mr. Idei for his wonderful suggestions and for supporting me throughout this endeavor.  Without his guidance, my dream would have never come true.  I am truly happy today – my passion for art has borne wonderful fruit in a way that I have never imagined before.

Thank you very much for visiting the show.

Feb. 21st, 2014
Miwako Kashiwagi