Monday, December 13, 2010

Xmas Art Festa 2010 Being held / Cecco Bonanotte

Xmas Art Festa 2010 is being held with 43 galleries around Ginza district. HIRO GALLERY is holding a one-man exhibition of Cecco Bonanotte, an Italian sculptor.







We exhibit new drawings and plaster reliefs. The new plaster reliefs are shown to the public for the first time. Each of the plaster reliefs is one of a kind, as well as other bronze reliefs by Bonanotte. The pure white reliefs finely shaped, with their shadows, direct the innocent atmosphere.




La Madonna col Bambino / 35.5×35.5cm / gesso / 2010



This exhibition is held until 18th, this Saturday. Please come and enjoy the exhibition.



Saturday, December 4, 2010

Xmas Art Festa 2010 / Cecco Bonanotte

From December 10 [Fri.] to 18 [Sat.], Xmas Art Festa is going to be held with 43 galleries around Ginza district.



Xmas Art Festa / Official Website



HIRO GALLERY holds a one-man show of Cecco Bonanotte, an Italian sculptor.




-Sequenza-



In this exhibition, new drawings and plaster reliefs are mainly exhibited. The new plaster reliefs are shown to the public for the first time. Please come and enjoy the exhibition.



※ A picture book of “CECCO BONANOTTE E LA PORTA NUOVA DEI MUSEI VATICANI” will be presented to the first 5 visitors who bring the pamphlet of Xmas Art Festa with them on Dec. 10 [Fri.].


Cecco Bonanotte / Webpage of HIRO GALLERY


Venue: HIRO GALLERY
Term: 12.10(Fri.)〜12.18(Sat.) 10:00-18:30
Saturday 10:00-18:00
closed on Sundays

Friday, November 26, 2010

+PLUS Tokyo Contemporary Art Fair / Sceneries

+PLUS Tokyo Contemporary Art Fair was held from November 19 [Fri.] to 21 [Sun.]. HIRO GALLERY displayed 21 prints and 4 sculptures by Chimei Hamada.















They got a good reputation even from small children.











Thank you very much for coming.

Saturday, November 6, 2010

"The open mind of Lafcadio Hearn" / Introduced on the Nov. 5th issue of The Japan Times



The on-going exhibition, “Art Exhibition: THE OPEN MIND OF LAFCADIO HEARN - HOMAGE TO LAFCADIO HEARN -” in Matsue City, Shimane Prefecture was introduced on the art column of the Nov. 5th issue of The Japan Times. It is an interesting article including from the details about the realization of this exhibition, to some comments on the exhibited works. It’s also appeared in the website of The Japan Times below.



“A journey inside the mind of Lafcadio Hearn”
By LISA GAY and FINTAN MONAGHAN
The Japan Times, 5th Novemver, 2010



Changing its venue to Karakoro Art Studio & Lafcadio Hearn Memorial Museum today, this exhibition is held by Nov. 14th [Sun.]. From HIRO GALLERY, Shoko Imano’s work is exhibited. Please look and enjoy the exhibition.



“THE OPEN MIND OF LAFCADIO HEARN” Official Website



Website of HIRO GALLERY: Shoko Imano

Saturday, October 30, 2010

Chimei Hamada from HIRO GALLERY / +PLUS Tokyo Contemporary Art Fair



“+PLUS Tokyo Contemporary Art Fair” is going to be held at the Tobi Art Forum (3rd and 4th floors in Tokyo Art Club Bldg.) from November 19th [Fri.] to 21st [Sun.]

+PLUS Tokyo Contemporary Art Fair



From HIRO GALLERY, The works by Chimei Hamada are exhibited, whose large exhibition was held at the Museum of Modern Art, Hayama from this July to September.

"The World of HAMADA Chimei - Elegy and Humor in Prints and Sculptures - " at The Museum of Modern Art, Hayama



Chimei Hamada is one of the leading print maker and sculptor in Japan, and keeps making art works vigorously although he is 92 years old now. His works were exhibited at the Ⅳ Mostra Internazionale di Bianco e Nero 1956-Lugano. Elegy for a New Conscript: Sentinel received the second prize. And in 1979, Albertina National Museum of Art, Vienna, Austria organized Chimei Hamada Exhibition where self-nominated 100 copper prints were displayed. In 2008, his works were placed at Uffizi Gallery in Florence and became the first Japanese Artist whose works were placed there. Uffizi Gallery organized Chimei Hamada exhibition which is the first Japanese artist’s one-man show. His achievements are highly praised worldwide.




Uffizi Museum – View of the Exhibition



Chimei Hamada’s art works are mainly divided into two categories. One category is war-related. He accuses harsh reality he experienced in his 20’s solder life. Another one is the works that satirizes the absurdity and ugliness in our daily life humorously.





Ghost Brought Back to Life
etching, aquatint / 30.8×21.6cm / 1956

Half of it being sunk, a battleship emerges under the sea. Its cannon barrel is tangled by seashells and garbage and it leans miserably. The sail of the ship became a military man from the middle of it, seashells are attaching to the breast instead of the medals, and his skull is barely shown. However, he sticks out his chest, the left eye looks strongly into the void and there is a large beard on his poor looking head. Although both the military man and battleship have already been nonliving, as if not being aware of the fact, they overawed the surroundings. It’s a sad but silly scene, and in the same time, we can sense a kind of frightfulness.





Man Examining a "Masterpiece?"
bronze / 29.5×29.0×13.0cm / 2000

From 1980’s, Chimei Hamada has also started making sculptures. It is a work that a man who has empty head, wearing a stethoscope, “examines” also an empty painting. It caricatures the tendency in the art scene. When looking art works, not trying to look at the works as they are, some people “examine” them. “Is painting so uninteresting and difficult?” As if we can hear the artist’s question.



Please come and enjoy the exhibition.



+PLUS Tokyo Contemporary Art Fair

Tobi Art Forum (3rd and 4th floors in Tokyo Art Club Bldg.)
6-19-15 Shimbashi Minato-ku, Tokyo 105-0004, Japan Map
TEL:+81-3-3432-0191
FAX:+81-3-3431-7606

November 19 [Fri.] 16:00~20:00
      20 [Sat.] 11:00~20:00
      21 [Sun.] 11:00~17:00

Booth No. of HIRO GALLERY : 4-18

Tuesday, October 19, 2010

Feature article of Yakumo Koizumi / Morning paper of Nikkei Shimbun on October 16 [Sat.]

"The open mind of Lafcadio Hearn" is being held at Matsue Castle and Lafcadio Hearn Memorial Museum in Matsue City, Shimane Prefecture. HIRO GALLERY exhibits Shoko Imano's work in this exhibition.



Matsue Castle



Shoko Imano "Shirt"


This year marks 160th anniversary of his birth and 120th of his arrival in Japan so he is getting a lot of attention. Morning paper of Nikkei Shimbun on October 16 [Sat.] featured his accomplishments and the overview of this exhibition. Please check it out.





Webpage of HIRO GALLERY / Information

The Open Mind of Lafcadio Hearn: Homage to Lafcadio Hearn (Art Exhibition)

Friday, September 24, 2010

Art Exhibition / THE OPEN MIND OF LAFCADIO HEARN / HOMAGE TO LAFCADIO HEARN



From October 10 [Sun.] to November 14 [Sun.] “Art Exhibition / THE OPEN MIND OF LAFCADIO HEARN / HOMAGE TO LAFCADIO HEARN” is going to be held. From HIRO GALLERY, Shoko Imano’s work is exhibited.





Web page of 120th anniversary of Lafcadio Hearn’s Arrival in Japan



Born in Greece, traveling all over the world, Yakumo Koizumi (Lafcadio Hearn) eventually reached Japan and settled here. He is a well-known writer and teacher in Japan. To pay homage to his unchained spirit, about 60 international and domestic artists' works are exhibited in Matsue Castle, Karakoro Art Studio and Lafcadio Hearn Memorial Museum.




Matsue Castle



Marking its 400th anniversary next year, Matsue Castle has a long history. This exhibition is a unique one using 3rd and 4th floor of the keep.




ART OSAKA 2010



Shoko Imano consistently inquires into the expression of “border.” He stayed in Rome, Italy, at the Coming Artists Overseas Study Program of Cultural Affairs Agency for one year from 2008 to 2009. His oil painting immersed in the bathtub got a lot of attention in ART OSAKA this July. In this exhibition, he exhibits a work inspired by the style of Yakumo Koizumi, who lived over various borders at that time. Below is the comment by the artist.



I presented Lafcadio Hearn's lifestyle, which spans the differences between countries, cultures and races, as well as the tracks of physical and spiritual comings and goings in each domain, using a shirt as the material, together with my concept, "domain of border."




Shirt / 97.0 × 145.5 cm / oil on canvas / 2010



Please enjoy the exhibition.



Hours

Donjon of Matsue Castle: 8:30-17:00 (last admission 16:30)
Lafcadio Hearn Memorial Museum: 8:30-17:00 (last admission 16:40)
Karakoro Art Studio: 9:30-18:00 (last admission 17:30)
*Opens at 14:00 on 10th October.
*Closing time will be 21:00 (last admission 20:30) on the 10th, 11th, 16th and 17th of October, when there will be Matsue Suitoro Festival.

Admission Fees

Donjon of Matsue Castle: adult ¥550 (foreigners ¥280)
Lafcadio Hearn Memorial Museum: adult ¥300 (foreigners ¥140)
Karakoro Art Studio: Free

Monday, September 13, 2010

Ariake Museum of Art “Osuke Shimazaki Exhibition” Being held



From September 10 [Fri.], in Ariake Museum of Art (Azumino City, Nagano), 30th anniversary special exhibition “Osuke Shimazaki Exhibition -Persistence and Liberation on the Sepia-” is being held.



Special page of this exhibition in the web page of HIRO GALLERY




Ariake Museum of Art



Ariake Museum of Art is a private museum making its 30th anniversary this year. Director Ei MATSUMURA wanted Osuke, who has deep relationship with Shinshu, known in Azumino, Nagano prefecture. Her strong passion made this exhibition possible.




“Research Sketches in China”




“Research Sketches in China” 2



This exhibition features “Research Sketches in China” made when he was a military painter to China,




“Notes”



“Notes,” the art-study notebooks written over 30 years from 1950’s and




“Sepia Series”




“Sepia Series” 2



“Sepia Series” of oil paintings drawn in Germany from 1970 to 1971 for the only one-man show before his death. Not only his works as a painter, but also his whole accomplishments are introduced in this exhibition. Reference materials are also rich such as Osuke’s favorite pallet, photographs taken in China during war, magazines he drew illustrations for or edited and so on.




Reference materials



Osuke’s fierce but simple paintings looked wonderful in the Ariake Museum of Art, which well fits in the surrounded nature. From the opening day, a lot of attendance came there. The exhibition is going to be held until October 11 [Mon.]. Please enjoy the exhibition.



≪Many media introduced this exhibition.≫

Mainichi Shimbun
Asahi Shimbun
Yomiuri Shimbun
Chunichi Shimbun
Shinano Mainichi Shimbun
And so forth.


The webpage of Ariake Museum of Art

Ariake Museum of Art 30th anniversary memorial exhibition
Osuke Shimazaki Exhibition -Persistence and Liberation on the Sepia-


Venue:    Ariake Museum of Art, Azumino in Nagano
Term:     September 10 [Fri.] ~ October 11 [Mon.]  ※ Open everyday during the exhibition
Time:     9:00 - 17:00
Host:     Ariake Museum of Art
Cooperator:  Okawa Museum of Art, TOSON MEMORIAL MUSEUM, HIRO GALLERY, Sosuke Shimazaki

Special page of the Osuke Shimazaki Exhibition held in Feb. 2010 in HIRO GALLERY

Wednesday, September 1, 2010

Ariake Museum of Art 30th anniversary memorial exhibition "Osuke Shimazaki Exhibition -Persistence and Liberation on the Sepia-"

Marking its 30th anniversary, Ariake Museum of Art holds a special exhibition “Osuke Shimazaki Exhibition -Persistence and Liberation on the Sepia-.”



in Mölln
oil on canvas / 72.7×91.0cm / 1970


Osuke Shimazaki passed away at the age of 83 in 1992, but his works were rarely revealed to the public. He was a kind of “Phantom Painter,” whose one-man exhibition was held only once in1971. Nevertheless, his footsteps of life in the era of significant change, study of art on his “Note” that reached 164 volumes and the works including oil paintings in sepia tell something very strongly to us, who live in the modern society. His one-man exhibitions were held at Okawa Museum of Art in Kiryu, Gunma Prefecture in 2002, HIRO GALLERY in Ginza, Tokyo in February 2010. The historic value of his accomplishments is gradually re-evaluated.


This exhibition displays the “Sepia Series” of oil paintings drawn in Germany in 1970, “Research Sketches” made when he was a military painter to China, and a persistent study of art on his “Notes,” the notebooks made even though he weren’t able to work as a painter. All of them are shown together in this special exhibition, so we can approach “Osuke Shimazaki” as a human from various angles. Osuke lived out his turbulent life, so the way of his life will indicate various things to us whom also live in an upheaval age.



The webpage of Ariake Museum of Art

Ariake Museum of Art 30th anniversary memorial exhibition
Osuke Shimazaki Exhibition -Persistence and Liberation on the Sepia-


Venue:    Ariake Museum of Art, Azumino in Nagano
Term:     September 10 [Fri.] ~ October 11 [Mon.]  ※ Open everyday during the exhibition
Time:     9:00 - 17:00
Host:     Ariake Museum of Art
Cooperator:  Okawa Museum of Art, TOSON MEMORIAL MUSEUM, HIRO GALLERY, Sosuke Shimazaki

Special page of the Osuke Shimazaki Exhibition held in Feb. 2010 in HIRO GALLERY

Thursday, August 26, 2010

The World of HAMADA Chimei / Introduced in various media

An exhibition, “The World of HAMADA Chimei - Elegy and Humor in Prints and Sculptures,” which is under way in The Museum of Modern Art, Hayama in Kanagawa, is introduced in various media including Asahi Simbun, NHK, and so on. For details, please visit the page below.

To the articles about “The World of HAMADA Chimei”

Thursday, July 29, 2010

「The World of HAMADA Chimei」 Appeared in the Asahi Shimbun

An exhibition, “The World of HAMADA Chimei - Elegy and Humor in Prints and Sculptures,” which is under way in The Museum of Modern Art, Hayama in Kanagawa, was introduced in the evening edition of the Asahi Simbun, 28th [Wed.] July.

There are the images of the venue, new sculpture and sketch. Including the voice of the artist himself, the article approaches the latest HAMADA Chimei, who is 92 years old and still vigorously produces new works. Please read it.

Friday, July 16, 2010

Shoko Imano / ART OSAKA 2010

From July 9th [Fri.] to 11th [Sun.], ART OSAKA 2010 was held at Dojima Hotel, Osaka. HIRO GALLERY introduced Shoko Imano in a one-man show style.





Shoko Imano’s works have a wondrous, encompassing ambience as if they soften the whole place that surrounds them. His works are well suited to the hotel rooms filled with gentle lightings and natural light. Some of the attendance, after looking at other rooms, said “The number of the works in this room is not too much and I feel relieved.”





We exhibited some works using water as an installation in this fair. The oil painting immersed in the bathtub got a lot of attention by audience and they gave various reactions.


The horizontal line drawn on the oil painting titled “Bathtub,” is waste product from our bodies and symbol of everyday life. It is locked in a painting, an unreal world, then it is immersed in the real bathtub again. A complicated art world emerges.


Shoko Imano shows us his original humor on solid foundation. This time, he suggested a possibility of new expressions again.


Thank you very much for coming.

Monday, July 5, 2010

ART OSAKA 2010

ART OSAKA 2010 is going to be held from July 9th [Fri] to 11th [Sun] in Dojima Hotel, Osaka.

This year, HIRO GALLERY presents Shoko Imano's works.




Gift Box / oil on canvas / 97.5 × 130.5 cm / 2010



Shoko Imano's works entertain us by its translucent colors and unique composition.

The hotel rooms full of natural light bring out his delicate and refreshing works.


This exhibition is held in a one-man show style, including the presentation of new works.

Please enjoy the exhibition.



ART OSAKA 2010

Venue:    DOJIMA HOTEL, OSAKA / HIRO GALLERY / Room No. 1016 (10th Floor)
Term:     [Preview] July 9th [Fri.] 14:00 – 20:00
         [Open to the Public] July 10th [Sat.] – 11th [Sun.] 12:00 – 19:00

ART OSAKA Official Website

Thursday, May 20, 2010

Shoko Imano Love Handle T-shirt
glamb「12 Emerging Artists」

A popular street fashion bland 「glamb」 released T-shirts that feature 12 artists who lead the today’s art scene. The project is called 「12 Emerging Artists」.

12 Emerging Artists

Love Handle, a popular work that a heart-shaped belly is drawn on, is released as a T-shirt!




Love Handle
oil on canvas / 145.5×145.5cm / 2007






The T-shirt is also sold at a popular apparel website, ZOZOTOWN.

ZOZOTOWN


Shoko Imano (Web Site of HIRO GALLERY)

Friday, May 14, 2010

The World of HAMADA Chimei

An exhibition “The World of HAMADA Chimei -Elegy and Humor in Prints and Sculpture-“ is going to be held at The Museum of Modern Art, Hayama from July 10th [sat] to September 5th [sun], 2010.



No One Knows
bronze / 25.7×29.2×15.0cm / 1992



Chimei Hamada, who is 92 years old now, still keeps making new works vigorously.

There are approximately 160 prints and 60 sculptures from the Elegy for a New Conscript series, in which he vividly expressed the tragic experience of war, to works satirizing modern society with his special humor.

This is a large retrospective including the presentation of new works.



Irritating (A)
etching, aquatint / 36.3×24.7cm / 1974



Please enjoy the exhibition.


The Museum of Modern Art, Hayama
Calendar

Details of Chimei Hamada


“The World of HAMADA Chimei -Elegy and Humor in Prints and Sculpture-“

Venue:  The Museum of Modern Art, Hayama
Term:   July 10th [sat] to September 5th [sun]
Time:   10:00 - 17:00
[Closed on Mondays(open on July 19th), July 20th]

Friday, April 9, 2010

The 18th Izukogen Art Festival

Izukogen Art Festival, which is held in May of each year, marks its 18th anniversary this year.

This time, HIRO GALLERY IZUKOGEN holds a woodprint exhibition of Yasuhiko Kida, whose exhibition was also held at Shiodome Museum of Panasonic Electric Works, Ltd. recently.

Famous sceneries and temples in archetypal image of Japan are vividly expressed in his works from an adventurous point of view and color.

His works are widely known for the package illustrations of a well-known bath agent series, “Tabinoyado.”



Hachijuhachiya (88th day of spring)
28 × 23 cm / wood print, two-color / 1987



From the works by Yasuhiko Kida, 22 woodprints of the scenes of spa towns throughout Japan are exhibited.

We hope you will come enjoy the exhibition.


22 woodprints of spa throughout Japan
“Yasuhiko Kida Woodprint Exhibition”

Venue: HIRO GALLERY IZUKOGEN
    1081 Yawatano Ito City Shizuoka, 413-0232
    TEL: 0557-54-4581
    8-minute walk from Izukogen Station  Map

Term: May 1 – 31 / 10:00 – 17:00
    Closed on Wednesday ( except May 5 )

Tuesday, March 23, 2010

ART FAIR TOKYO 2010 / Shoko Imano

ART FAIR TOKYO 2010 is going to be held soon.

This time, HIRO GALLERY introduces the new works by Shoko Imano in a one-man show style.

Made up of layers of delicate colors, Shoko Imano’s works always give us comfort as if we are surrounded by light.

And we can enjoy the composition from his unique point of view.




makeup / oil on canvas / 45.5 × 53.0 cm / 2010



We hope you will come to the fair and enjoy his works.

Until ART FAIR TOKYO 2010 begins, the new works are displayed in HIRO GALLERY.





giftbox / oil on canvas / 97.5 × 130.5 cm / 2010




veil / oil on canvas / 45.7 × 45.7 cm / 2010



If you want to appreciate them as soon as possible, come visit us.

Map to HIRO GALLERY

Details of Shoko Imano


ART FAIR TOKYO 2010

Venue : Tokyo International Forum B2
Date :
April 2 [Fri.] 11:00 – 21:00
April 3 [Sat.] 11:00 – 20:00
April 4 [Sun.] 10:30 – 17:00

Web Site of ART FAIR TOKYO

Wednesday, March 10, 2010

New Portal opening ceremony
Vatican Embassy in Japan


The opening ceremony of the new portal for the church of Vatican embassy in Japan was held at 12:00 on Mar. 9th. Archbishop Alberto Bottari De Castello organized the ceremony as 300 invited guests including each country’s ambassadors watched.





The new portal was made by a leading Italian sculptor, Cecco Bonanotte, who also produced the large portals of the Vatican Museums and the Luxembourg Museum. And he organized the interior decorating of the church and made the Holy Ark and Cross.

The images inside of the church are here

Friday, February 26, 2010

Osuke Shimazaki Exhibition - Reception -

The opening reception of the Exhibition of Osuke Shimazaki, an aloof artist, was held in HIRO GALLERY on Feb. 22nd.

Osuke Shimazaki, whose exhibition was held only once during his life, was featured in magazines and newspapers so a lot of attendance came to the reception. Mr. Sosuke Shimazaki, the son of Osuke Shimazaki, attended the reception and told us the various memories with his father, Mr. Osuke.





In this exhibition, 7 landscape paintings in a common color scheme of sepia in Germany and 2 drawings are exhibited. The strong power of sepia, that seems to evoke the old memories of human, creates a unique and calm ambience.





The display of the real “Note,” the notebooks for his study of thought and art that he had made from 1951 to 1988, got a lot of favorable comments. We can feel Osuke’s sincere attitude to art directly from his “Note,” which reached 164 volumes in his life.

(Excerpts)

“There’s been something that is hard to grasp and hampered me from childhood. That was the thing that couldn’t be expressed though any ready-made approach. That was the appearance of depth. The sense of reality of it was monstrous. This was difficult to get closer, but existed there deeply. It was the real identity of the sense of loneliness and fear. I attained the way to express them best.”
“The profound sense of reality of this thing that seems to be lying on the bottom. Yes, the light on the bottom of a river, twinkling of pebbles ― the grave sense of fear. It seems that reality can be said the appearance of depth. Now is the time to express this affecting reality. The depth of the reality.”
Note 100, 19th Feb. 2010)





The exhibition is being held until Mar. 13th. [Sat.]

Details of the exhibition

Thursday, February 4, 2010

Osuke Shimazaki Exhibition 2010.2.22 - 3.13

An exhibition of Osuke Shimazaki, an aloof painter, is going to be held at HIRO GALLERY from Feb. 22nd [Mon.] to Mar. 13th [Sat.] 2010.


Altona in Hamburg
oil on canvas / 65.2×53.0cm / 1970

Osuke Shimazaki was born in 1908 as the third son of Toson Shimazaki, one of the great literary figures that represent Japan. Toyed with by harsh fate in a turbulent age, opportunities to publish his works didn’t come easily, but his passion for art never ceased throughout his life.

When he finished the compilation of the complete collection of Toson in 1970, he depicted the all works in a common color scheme of sepia in Germany, where he spent in his youth. The sepia is the color he chose to represent his own expression. We sincerely hope that you come and uncover the hidden message of “the color of solitude.”

Details of the exhibition


An Aloof Artist
Osuke Shimazaki Exhibition
-Persistence and Liberation on the Sepia-

Venue: HIRO GALLERY
Term: 2010.2.22[Mon.] - 3.13[Sat.] Closed on Sundays
Time: 10:00 - 19:00

Friday, January 8, 2010

Happy New Year! 2010



Thank you for your cooperation in 2009.
We wish all of you a wonderful 2010.

Thanks to your cooperation, HIRO GALLERY marks the 35th anniversary of its founding in October this year. In 2010, we continuingly introduce from the artists we have partnership with for a long time to the young artists we should pay attention for the future.

We really appreciate your continuing support for our activities this year.

HIRO GALLERY
Kimihiro Fujii
Kazuhiro Fujii

Photo: Chimei Hamada / Water / bronze / 2004