SOM GALLERY is delighted to announce its participation in ART OSAKA 2024 to be held in Osaka from July 19th (Fri) to 21st (Sun), 2024. The exhibition will feature works by László von Dohnányi, based in London, and three artists based in Japan, Aiku Kurotaki, Yurika Shiroyama, and Ryota Watanabe.

At its first participation in "ART OSAKA 2024," SOM GALLERY introduce four artists who present their works themed on a return to the essence of human existence and the specificity of media in the context of the accelerating advancement of technology and information in the modern age.

László von Dohnányi, who completed his master's degree at the Royal College of Art (RCA) in 2021, has been presenting his works mainly in Europe and America. ART OSAKA 2024 will mark his first exhibition in Asia.

Von Dohnányi explores the process and properties of painting itself by pairing digital and conventional painting techniques. By mixing references to an older pictorial tradition with those of cutting-edge 3D digital-modelling tools, his paintings operate at the intersection between digital and analogue image creation. In his painting, he explores ideas of alienation and fragmentation as a by-product of technological advancements as well as concepts of biomimicry.

Aiku Kurotaki, who graduated from Tokyo Zokei University with a degree in textile design in 2022, held his first solo exhibition at SOM GALLERY in April 2024. Kurotaki focuses on creating three-dimensional works through the intersection of fibers to form textile structures, using a combination of warp and weft threads made by hand.

In his representative work, the "Human" series, countless warp and weft threads are arranged in an iron empty box, in which a human figure is placed. By confining humans within the regular lines of the thread structure, Kurotaki highlights the patterned modern society and human thoughts. Through his works, he aims to bring out the emptiness of contemporary society and the perspectives he captures of humans, leading people to liberation from algorithms.

Yurika Shiroyama, born in Tokyo and studied at Musashino Art University with a focus on graphic design, moved to New York and is currently based in Tokyo. Having lived in New York, Shiroyama developed a deeper interest in coexisting with nature within the context of urban life, viewing the relationship between nature and human existence through her works.

Her works not only encourage a return to nature but also raise questions about human supremacism resulting from coexisting with nature, recalling the pure and innocent childhood experiences of living alongside nature.

Ryota Watanabe, who completed his master's degree at the Tokyo University of the Arts of Fine Arts in 2023, has been presenting his works based in Tokyo. Watanabe creates his works by performing both the pure act of painting with a brush strokes and the destructive act of applying and scraping off paint using a self-made tool ,such as cutter knives, on a single canvas, leaving traces of both actions on the canvas.

While he pursues the essence of what painting can be, he also paints portraits and landscapes as reflections of the times. His painting technique follows the existentialism of artists such as Lucian Floyd, who exudes the vividness and richness of brushstrokes, and Alberto Giacometti, who stripped away the elements to get to the essence of the work, and then turns to a contemporary approach, challenging the renewal of painting history through cubism.

We look forward to welcoming you to the exhibition.

□ Period
VIP Preview (Invitation Only)
- 7/19 (Fri) 13:00-19:00

General Admission
- 7/20 (Sat) 11:00-19:00
- 7/21 (Sun) 11:00-17:00

□ Artists
- Aiku Kurotaki
- Yurika Shiroyama
- László von Dohnányi
- Ryota Watanabe

□ Booth No.
C-32

□ Venue
3rd Floor, Osaka City Central Public Hall (Middle Assembly Room, Small Assembly Room, Special Room)
1-1-27 Nakanoshima, Kita-ku, Osaka City

□ Official Website
https://www.artosaka.jp/2024/en/