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　In his canvases and occasional drawings, Kazuki Matsushita (1992, Tokyo) orchestrates a interaction between titles and motifs. Through the utilization of enigmatic phrases and anagrams as his chosen titles, he addresses intricate landscapes of linguistic subjectivity. Occasionally, he starts his process with the title, and utilizes the canvas into an extension of his poetric expression. Almost as if the motifs on the canvas are words itself, the white areas resonate as the blank silent spaces between words in a poem, evoking the essence of a verse. This indirect dialogue, an intimate reciprocity between his private notebook and the expansive canvas, between title and motif, creates a unique interplay, bestowing each piece with an eloquent tension between language and visual art.

　Kazuki Matsushita’s interests stems in the interplay of words within the world of paintings, as well as within the realms of critique and art discourse. His paintings often synthesize elements of humor, occasionally drawing from Western influences, all woven together by an overarching sense of darkness. His depictions that bear the imprint of Western aesthetics, serve as a reflective mirror upon Japan’s evolving perspectives of the Western world. Through this exploration of contrasting influences, he creates a visual narrative that transcends borders and traditions, offering the audience a glimpse into the nuanced complexities of cultural exchange and evolution.

　Kazuki Matsushita was born in 1992 in Tokyo, Japan where he currently works and lives. Matsushita has presented his work in: solo show “The Agentur” at ECHO in Cologne, 2023: solo show “Ice like Ice” at im labor in Tokyo, 2022; “X’ mas” at im labor in Tokyo, 2022. And was part of the group shows “Onsen Confidential” at KAYOKOYUKI in Tokyo, 2022, “ignore your perspective 52 Speculation⇔Real” at Kodama Gallery in Tokyo, 2019; “Group Show” at 4649 in Tokyo 2018.

Trans-Parent (STAP ran rent) 2023, oil on canvas, 162 x 130.3 cm

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　Emi Otaguro (1980, Fukuoka) exhibits an array of artistic expressions by using an eclectic palette of materials such as wet plaster, cardboard, chewing gum, quail’s eggshells, vinyl sheets, and galvanized sheets, each meticulously selected to lend a unique voice to her artistic narratives. Otaguro’s artistry delves into the intricacies of materiality and support mediums, carefully tailored to the specific tales she aims to convey, all the while adhering to the notion of “flatness” essential to her craft. Within this realm of visual storytelling, these materials emerge as silent but potent narrators, shaping the interpretations of her artworks.

　Among her signature works, one finds an intriguing exploration with “chewing gum” as a medium. Here, Otaguro employs a meticulous process where multiple sheets of gum are shaped and then delicately “carved” with a cutter, provoking a sense of satisfaction. The result is a paradoxical fusion of initial freshness, characterized by a subtle mint fragrance and the faint vestiges of machine-pressed marks hinting at mass production. Yet, as time unfolds, the ephemeral essence of the chewing gum gradually fades, and the sharp edges mellows, symbolizing the transience of life itself. While chewing gum, often dismissed as a non-nutritive substance, may not directly sustain us during times of emergency, it persists as a tool that enriches the “Ma” ‒ the empty moments ‒ in our bustling everyday existence. Otaguro’s motifs, therefore, often center around individuals basking in the sun at a park or beings suspended in the liminal space between wakefulness and slumber, embodying a profound connection to their primal instincts.

　For her intricate collages, Emi Otaguro works with delicate quail’s eggshells. These eggshells bear a unique fingerprint-like quality, imprinted with the internal pigments of the mother bird just before the egg’s laying. Each speckled pattern, akin to nature’s own artwork, functions as a camouflage, safeguarding the fragile life within from potential threats. Otaguro interprets this as “a landscape painting painted by each quail to reflect their external environment.” She carefully shatters quail eggshells into fragments and meticulously reassembles them to create entirely new entities, breathing fresh life into the fragments of a hidden world.

　Her photographic works, the “sun bath” series are the result of spontaneous, improvisational sessions where she photographs a sculpted piece of gum placed upon the back of a live cat. This unexpected collaboration unfolds in the presence of a stray feline visitor to her studio, emphasizing the serendipitous nature of her art. Otaguro perceives a cat’s fur as a unique “channel,” a canvas where minuscule dust particles, suspended in the air, and organic residues commingle. These artworks bear witness to the unpredictable actions of a cat and the evolving shape of a piece of chewing gum over time, encapsulating the essence of uncontrollable existence.

　Emi Otaguro was born in 1980 in Fukuoka, Japan, and currently lives and works in Aichi. She received her B.F.A. in Painting from Tokyo Zokei University and her M.F.A. in oil painting from the Tokyo National University of Art and Music. Otaguro received a Japanese Government Oversea Research Program Grant from the Agency for Cultural Affairs and lived and worked in Berlin, Germany, from March 2019.
　Emi has presented her work in: “Cat’s Narrow Road” at Toyota Municipal Museum of Art, Aichi; solo show “the reverie” at KAYOKOYUKI, Tokyo, 2022; “DOMANI: The Art of Tomorrow 2021” at The National Art Center, Tokyo, 2021; solo show “MESA” at Künstlerhaus Bethanien, Berlin, 2021; “MAT, Nagoya Studio Project vol.6” at Minatomachi POTLUCK BUILDING, Aichi, 2020; “Studio Exhibition” at Satoshi Ohno Studio, Yamanashi, 2018; “THE ECHOl” at Takasaki City Gallery, Gunma, 2016; “project N 55” at Tokyo Opera City Art Gallery, 2014; “TRICK-DIMENSION, curated by Daisuke Ohba” at tolot: heuristic SHINONOME, Toko, 2013; and “YON-SHIKI, curated by O JUN” at youkobo artspace, Tokyo, 2010. She has also received the grand prize for the Art Award Tokyo Marunouchi 2008.

sun bath 2020, inkjet print, semi-gloss photo paper, frame, chewing gum on the cat, 48.4 x 36.4 cm