By depicting realistic images, such as shelves, furniture and other daily items that denote living spaces, Kei Sugiyama (b. 1988 in Nara, Japan) creates metaphysical paintings in which the true motifs are invisible, evoking the “remnants of what was once there,” or “the feeling of absence itself.” He also employs the techniques of mitate (allusion) and inyo (quotation) that have long been central to Japanese art. The results have been described as “figureless portraits,” and the worlds they unfurl allow viewers to experience a unique sense of narrative.
Kei Sugiyama’s images of chairs and other daily utensils invite us to consider the invisible presence of those who use them, entertaining audiences via the traditional Japanese concept of mitate (visual allusion).
Constructed like a mandala, Outside the Window, In the Woods uses an old-fashioned printer tray (a drawer designed to hold the parts used to construct typefaces) and its dividers to draw allusions to window frames. The objects rendered in warm colors on the viewer’s right represent the interior of a room, while those rendered in cool colors on the viewers left represent the inner depths of a forest.
We hope audiences will enjoy the piece for its adorable motifs and the quietly lingering presence of life found therein.