WILL SWEENEY
" Crepuscular "
We are pleased to announce the opening of Will Sweeney’s first solo exhibition in Osaka, titled "Crepuscular," at i GALLERY OSAKA.
Will Sweeney’s artwork draws influence from 1980s punk, hip-hop, and rave culture, while also creating a unique dark pop culture of his own. His art transcends the boundaries of visuals and ideas, weaving together fantastical narratives.
The title of this exhibition, "Crepuscular," refers to animals that are primarily active during twilight hours—dawn and dusk. This term evokes a delicate and uncertain world, much like twilight itself, where the body, nature, and elements of otherworldly realms intersect to form a distinctive space.
Additionally, the collaborative works created for this exhibition with sculptor Makoto Sakurai add a new dimension to Will Sweeney’s visual art, making it one of the highlights of the show.
We hope you take this opportunity to fully immerse yourself in the fantastical world of Will Sweeney’s art.
DATES
SEP 13 - OCT 7, 2024
OPENING RECEPTION
FRIDAY, SEP 13, 5 - 8PM
LOCATION
i GALLERY OSAKA
1F, 3-8-14, MINAMISENBA,
CHUO-KU, OSAKA-SHI,
OSAKA
ARTIST
WILL SWEENEY
”CREPUSCULAR
Definition;
“things resembling or relating to twilight”
Crepuscular is a collection of new paintings and drawings exploring themes of corporeal existence, masquerade, plants & animals, tribal gatherings and otherworldly atmosphere.
There are several recurring characters/motifs within the images;
‘Mushroom Burial Suit’ a kind of exoskeleton, designed for the afterlife, the circulatory system is external and able to connect with the landscape of the underworld.
‘Clonk’ a bootleg Frankenstein’s monster, doomed to wander the world in an amnesiac state, a gentle giant, capable of great power but absent minded, with his head in the clouds, his true purpose has yet to be revealed, he is very fond of lollipops.
‘Zorch People’ mutated psychobillies, maniac rockers from hell, lost without a purpose but keeping the faith.
Inspirations come from the metaphysical paintings of Giorgio De Chirico, the fictions of Jean Louis Borges, coral reef life forms, the film ‘Matango - Attack of The Mushroom people’ and the 1981 LP ‘In Heaven’ by UK psychobilly band The Meteors.
The show also features a collaboration with Makoto Sakurai, a renowned Tokyo based sculptor, ‘Mushroom Burial Suit’ is a 40cm tall limited edition vinyl sculpture in an edition of 5.”
-WILL SWEENEY
Born in London, UK, and deeply influenced by the punk, hip-hop, and rave culture of the 1980s, Will began his artistic journey creating strange, horror and science fiction influenced drawings and comics from a young age. After earning an MA in Illustration from the Royal College of Art in 1998, he began working as an illustrator, designing flyers for clubs, making T-shirt graphics and editorial work for fashion magazines such as The Face and Dazed & Confused. Will’s breakthrough came in 2003 with the group exhibition 'Where Is Silas' at Parco Gallery, Tokyo. leading to numerous solo and group shows across global art capitals like Tokyo, London, LA, Madrid, and Paris. He is known for his comic series 'Tales From greenfuz' and the accomponying toys. He’s also collaborated with renowned brands such as Medicom Toy, Porter, Undercover, Stella McCartney, and STUSSY, creating a diverse range of products from collectible figures, animations and record sleeve designs to fashion items like T-shirts and lamps.
Since moving to Tokyo in 2021, Will's work has evolved into a more personal, metaphysical phase, exploring areas of the subconscious, dream narratives and notions of mortality within a dark pop culture framework and experimenting with various drawing and painting mediums.
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/willsweeney_uk/