The Simple Truth

Art2

Mar 28

Notice Forest by Yuken Teruya ©Japan Suite

We just visited Yuken Teruya’s new show, The Simple Truth, at Josee Bienvenu gallery in NYC. Teruya is a New York based artist from Okinawa, the southernmost prefecture of Japan. His works utilizes ordinary objects to reveal underlying problems of our society.

One of his most recognized pieces is a series of paper cut-out trees that seem to be growing inside paper bags. These trees may appear fragile, but can also look as if they are supporting the bag. This symbolizes the full circle of a tree that became paper, and then a commercial bag, and then the bag symbolically returns to the original tree.

Here is the artist’s statement. "Uncovering small metamorphosis in familiar objects is an exercise which enables one to turn routine into moments of significance, making us more aware of the indefinite alterations in our surroundings."

Another exhibit showed a series of New York Times newspapers depicting tragedy or conflict around the world on their front pages. However, “growing” or “sprouting” out of the assorted troubling news were trees and flowers that had been laboriously cut from the photos on the front page and folded to stand up as if growing in a field or forest. These papers, which came from trees, were used to depict and report chaotic world events--but in the hands of Teruya, they became an intriguing garden of life emerging from tales of death and destruction.

There is also a series of newspapers from his hometown in Okinawa reporting on a massive local protest against the U.S. Air Force there -- with the theme “It’s about me, It’s about you. There is a truth bigger than geopolitics.” Stencil cut into each paper is a phrase, written in Arabic, Hebrew, Farsi, Georgian, English and Basque. Teruya has used Okinawan traditional patterns called Bingata Kimono to express his messages in the past. While it is talking about a long history of occupation and friction with Japan and USA, the art piece is calm and poetic.

In addition, his other work, Forest Inc, is also on view now at 601 ArtSpace here in New York until April 25.

Minding My Own Business by Yuken Teruya ©Japan Suite

It's about me, it's about you. ©Japan Suite

contemporary artYuken TeruyaJapanGalleryPaperEnvironment

Japan Suite

Showcasing traditional Japanese crafts and the artisans who create them — their stories and their art in words and visions. Japan’s hand-made crafts have played an integral role in the lives of Japanese for centuries. They are created in response to basic, everyday needs and have long been used in the daily rhythms of life. They come from the earth and from nature, and they are prized for their simplicity and long life. Craftspeople pour their passion, pride and energy into their handiwork, creating objects that can far outlive their creators, but in doing so, they carry on the artist’s legacy. The artisans know their objects can live hundreds of years, and they want to be just as proud of it in 100 years as they are today. So, everyday household items take on a life of their own, their own spirit and their own story. They are unique, one-of-a-kind creations with a character and spirit that grows stronger with regular use. The artist creates the object, but that is just the beginning of the journey. In the hands of its owner, a relationship is created, one that is nurtured across time. Just as we do, these creations will change over time developing new imperfections and new character. Each region and each artisan have their own character. In Japan, this is known as meibutsu. The legacy has been passed down by Japanese artists across time down to today’s craftspeople who are advancing and redefining this tradition. We applaud these artisans, and we strive to support them as they re-interpret the heritage of their predecessors — and we are proud to introduce their work, their stories and the passion they put into their creation here at Japan Suite.

The Simple Truth

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