Vivinavi : Philadelphia : (United States) Philadelphia

Japan Gallery is pleased to announce a two-person exhibition featuring New York-based Western-style painter ・ Shinichi Dohi and Tokyo-based metal sculptor ・ Kyoyo Hiraiwa, who lives and works in Shinagawa, Tokyo.

Dohi graduated from Kanazawa College of Art and Design in 1955 and lived in Tokyo before moving to the U.S. in 1960, where he became fascinated with contemporary painting and had a solo exhibition that toured the U.S. for 10 months from February 1966. In 2004, he was awarded the Minister of Foreign Affairs Prize in commemoration of the 150th anniversary of Japan-U.S. friendship, and in 2011, he was awarded the Order of the Rising Sun, Gold and Silver Star for his contribution to cultural activities.
In this exhibition, he will present his works on the theme of "From 9/11 to the Corona Disaster. More than 20 years have already passed since the September 11 terrorist attacks on the United States, and now that the Corona disaster, which shook the world for a time, is behind us, I dared to present my work on the theme of "Woe to the world of mankind, but not to the world of mankind. In spite of Russia's invasion of Ukraine and the record-breaking natural disasters on the earth, people continue to make efforts with the bond of love and keep the light of hope burning for peace day and night. In particular, the events of the 9/11 tragedy, which will remain in my memory for a long time, have developed into a deeply sentimental involvement that I personally cannot compare to anything else. The work in this exhibition is a collection of small pieces that reflect on the memory of a calendar that has been rolled away," says Dohi.

Meanwhile, Kyoyo Hiraiwa, a graduate student of Tokyo University of the Arts, has been creating sculptures, ornaments, jewelry, and installations mainly in metal. In 2006, he studied at the Museum of Contemporary Art ・ of ・ Arts ・ and ・ Design （ and MAD ） in New York City as a special overseas trainee of the Agency for Cultural Affairs. He has over 40 years of experience in the art world and has received numerous national and international awards. His jewelry and sculptures have been exhibited at the Museum of Arts and Design in New York, SOFA in New York and Chicago, and the International Lace Biennial in Belgium, among others. His jewelry and sculptures have been exhibited in galleries and museums around the world, including the International Lace Biennale in New York, the SOFA in New York and Chicago, and in Belgium.

This exhibition will feature a group of works that embody the scenes that come to mind from the Yamato language from memory. The sound of the Yamato language is smart, dignified, noble, and elegant. Hiraiwa finds beauty in the words of his native language and embeds their simplicity in the dynamic possibilities of the materials. Engraved in the mind are the sounds and scents of the wind traveling through slumbering towns, speaking naturally of ruins and ancient architecture. The Yamato language was born from the unique culture and aesthetic sense of the Japanese classics. Mr. Hiraiwa's work is natural, seasonal, and beautifully and elegantly expresses sounds that express complex emotions. It is at the same time a discovery of Hiraiwa's self-identity. We invite you to view the works of Kyoyo Hiraiwa, who has continued to create new art rooted in the Japanese tradition. "There is a word, 'kosei' (connection). This two-person exhibition is the result of the relationship between Ms. Kyoyo Hiraiwa, a metal sculptor, and Mr. and Mrs. Lea Tane Yasuda, an elder of Yakushiji Hachiman-in Temple in Nara, who is a great admirer of Shinichi Dohi's artwork. We believe that this exhibition is the result of their encouragement and encouragement with slogans to motivate the artists during the extremely difficult time of setting up the gallery in the midst of the Corona disaster. Usually, in a two-person show, the audience is moved and impressed by the harmony of similar works and enjoys the beauty of the harmony, but in this two-person show, I hope that everyone will appreciate the beauty created by the harmony of two different categories," said Dohi.

We hope you will visit the exhibition and enjoy the beautiful harmony created by artists from different genres.


Photos:
（ left ） Shinichi Dohi "Semptember 11th 2" acrylic paint on canvas 55.88cm x 68.58cm
（ right ） Kyoyo Hiraiwa "Tsubaki － Celebrating Spring" aluminum 30cm x 33cm x 7cm