i GALLERY OSAKA is proud to present “Field”, a solo exhibition by the artist Taichi Watanabe.

 

From a unique perspective as a “window to everywhere”, Watanabe has been pursuing the ambiguity hidden in the boundaries between reality and imagination, within and without, as well as the individual and others through his paintings. In this exhibition, he will take this exploration further, presenting a painting space as a “special field” for him.

 

As a teenager, the soccer field represented a sacred space for him. There lay a mix of definite rules and freedom, stories and prayers, and according to him, it was there that he existed, enveloped in a sensation different from reality. And now, the field appears where his paintings exist.

 

In this exhibition, the works begin appearing at the floor near the entrance to the venue. The paintings, intentionally placed on the floor, represent an unprecedented form of expression, and along the guiding lines of space, the hints of the paintings rising up are gradually revealed in three dimensions.
From the moment you step into the gallery until you reach the exhibition space in the back, the uninterrupted arrangements incorporate the viewer’s body itself as part of the work, giving birth to a silent tension as the viewer walks, stops, and drops their gaze.

 

The composition is similar to tracing a path between stones set on a bed of white sand, evoking the aesthetics of “parallels” and “space” through Japanese karesansui (dry landscape) gardens. There is something to see in this space precisely because it appears to be empty — such an awareness seems to sprout naturally as you gaze on this composition.

 

The paintings themselves also breath deeply within the silent layers of color, slowly awakening the senses that lie deep within our vision. Although abstract, the shapes and positions of each painting are shot through with clear intentions that eliminate the possibility of coincidence and respond delicately to the space.

 

We hope that you will experience the “Field” created by Taichi Watanabe at the venue with all five of your senses.

"As a teenager, I had a space that I’d like to call a special domain: the soccer field. It felt so special to step into a space of 100 x 70 meters boxed off by white lines. It’s often referred as a sacred space where countless joys and tears are shared.

Moreover, the white lines on the field felt like a boundary, separating me from the real world, creating this special domain for me.

 

Today, that special domain is the space where paintings exist. Just as the white lines on the field held greater meaning than their original purpose, I feel that paintings have the potential to create space-its own world-beyond.

 

Stepping into this gallery means entering the field I have created. I hope that you will have an immersive experience that goes beyond simply viewing."

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-Taichi Watanabe