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NO.5波の音Ⅴ
Wei Nan, Sound of Waves Ⅴ, 26W×67D×14Hcm, Lacquer, Cowhide, Linen, 2024

Dear Poem

Mei Motokawa

Wei Nan

Xu Zichun

Oct 12 2024 - Now 2 2024

Curation Note

Alpha Contemporary is proud to present 「Dear Poem : Mei Motokawa, Wei Nan, Xu Zichun」from October 12nd to November 2nd, 2024.

The artistic features found in "poem" have many commonalities with visual media art, and poem has inspired many artists.

Poem is bound by a fixed form, and due to its compressed formal form, it skillfully uses layered "metaphors," and evokes empathy for the storyteller's "narrative." Moreover, it provides an aesthetic experience through its rhythmicity, which are a sculptural characteristic of poem.

The same is true for visual art. Art has various "metaphors", transforming and varying narratives. Additionally, it provides an aesthetic experience through unique artistic expressions such as repetition and rhythmic movement.

This exhibition aims to rediscover and interpret contemporary art through the artistic form of 'poem.' It serves as an opportunity to reaffirm the correlations between different art genres, and by interpreting contemporary art through the 'poem' , it aims to foster a deeper connection with contemporary art.

First, the "narrative" of "poem" appears even within the visual medium of art. It unfolds on the screen through the artist themselves or through a different persona. This narrative is expressed in a richly varied manner on the limited two-dimensional screen of space and time, much like a theatrical stage.

This exhibition allows you to experience the works of Mei Motokawa (Japanese b. 2002), who expresses personal experiences and  psychological landscapes with countless lines using colored pencils. You can experience how Motokawa's narrative aligns with the viewer's psychological state through the artworks. Additionally, you can experience the evolving psychological landscapes of the artist on the canvas.

Next, in the sculptural characteristic of "poem," which is "rhythmicity," it can be experienced through Wei Nan (Chinese b. 1994), who has been working on lacquer sculptural works using leather materials. Wei uses the elasticity and variability of leather materials to create a unique sculptural expression with "rhythmicity." She maximally brings out the strong vitality of the texture of animal leather and the luster of lacquer, rhythmically expressing the beauty and strength of nature with her own "narrative."

This "narrative" can be read through the "between the lines" of the work's formal expression. I would like to receive impressions of the poetic elements from the splendid yet powerful and rhythmically vibrant works.

Finally, "poem" expresses multi-layered meanings through "metaphors".

Xu Zichun (Chinese, b.1997) who is from Yunnan Province surrounded by mountains located in the heart of mainland China.

Xu, who gets inspiration from music and memory, derives the flow of time from the flow of musical scales. He depicts the mountains and horizon of his hometown, showing that matter goes through various intonations and adjusts to neutrality, just like a musical scale that repeats highs and lows and then adjusts to "♮" (natural). This evokes the formal elements of "poem," which unfolds with a structure of introduction, development, turn, and conclusion.

Through this exhibition, we hope to recognize the possibilities of the multifaceted artistic language of visual arts by appreciating contemporary artworks from the perspective of the artistic genre of 'poem'.

■𝗘𝘅𝗵𝗶𝗯𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗢𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘃𝗶𝗲𝘄

・Duration|Oct 12 - Nov 2 2024

・Operation Hour | Tue.-Sat. 12:00 - 18:00, Tue : Appointment only by 6 pm t

・Venue|Alpha Contemporary

・Admission|Free

・Inquiry|infoalphacontemporary@gmail.com

 

​ ■𝗥𝗲𝗰𝗲𝗽𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗔𝗿𝘁𝗶𝘀𝘁 𝗧𝗮𝗹𝗸

Oct 12 2024, 4-6pm

 

Works

motokawa

Mei Motokawa, 遼, Colored Pencil and Oil on Canvas, 116.7 `× 91 cm, 2024

NO.5波の音Ⅴ

Wei Nan, Sound of Waves Ⅴ, 26W×67D×14Hcm, Lacquer, Cowhide, Linen, 2024

2.HEIC

Xu Zichun, No.15,  Oil on Panel, 22x 33.3cm, 2024

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