Hashimoto Yurika solo exhibition "I want to see behind the star during the day."
shimokitazawaartsApril 12 - 29, 2025
1-7 pm
Closed on Mon, Tue and Wed.
*open on Apr. 29th.
Shimokitazawa Arts is please to present the solo exhibition "I want to see behind the star during the day " by Hashimoto Yurika. Hashimoto was born in Hiroshima pref., 1998, graduated from the Japanese Painting course of the Department of Fine Arts and Crafts at Kyoto University of the Arts in 2022 and completed the Master's program in the Japanese Painting field of Fine Arts and Crafts at Kyoto University of the Arts Graduate School in 2024.
At her graduation exhibition last year, Hashimoto presented a large-scale wall-covering work titled Someday, combining several large and small canvases. At first, the work caught my eye with a cute ink-painted mouse on a whitish background, but upon closer inspection, I could see countless pieces of Japanese paper and newspapers through the surface of the work, and no matter how far I look, I could never get to the end.
After failing the entrance exam to an art university, Hashimoto met her mentor at university and has sincerely pursued an exploration of the origins of Japanese painting, the materials and techniques used, and what she wants to express herself. Currently, based on the impressions she had when she visited Brazil, where her mother was born and raised, she is exploring contemporary Japanese paintings that express the sentiments of the Japanese people, using the motif of mice, which are pests yet cute, and the technique of collage, which is difficult to express intentionally.
Please take a look at the surface, depth, and even deeper aspects of Hashimoto's works.
Artist statement
There is a genre of Japanese art called "Nihonga". The main support material is Japanese paper, and the art is created by mixing crushed powdered natural minerals called "Iwa enogu" with glue made from animal skin called "Nikawa." Other materials used for painting include "Suihi paint," a type of paint made from white powder made from crushed seashells and dyed with dyes, and "Sumi," a type of ink made by mixing and hardening soot and glue.
In modern Japanese art universities, students learn the genre known as "Japanese painting" mainly from the Meiji period onwards, and most students use the same painting materials and techniques. When it comes to how they use it, people follow the style of their teacher at each university, not trying any other methods (or not knowing any other methods), and just assume that this method is traditional, so they go about their work without reconsidering their own way of drawing.
I met a professor who was researching techniques and materials at an art university in Kyoto. The teacher originally studied Western painting, and is now a very unique teacher who speaks passionately about ink. I also learned specialized knowledge about animal glue from one of the teacher's students. I feel that the six years I spent at university were extremely meaningful. In order to break away from the modern, conceptualised style of Japanese painting, I felt I had to reexamine the techniques and materials I use. I felt uncomfortable with the general image of Japanese paintings, which is that "this work is Japanese painting because it uses Japanese paper as the support and uses mineral pigments, water-based pigments, glue, ink, etc."
This question is related to my own origins: my mother is Japanese but was born and raised in Brazil. The rebellion against the public image of Japanese painting mentioned above is linked to my own doubts about the seemingly obvious opinion that "I can declare that I am Japanese because I was born and raised in a region called Japan." I am currently trying to create works that can help modern Japanese people regain the rich sense of spirit that they have lost, through the use of a variety of techniques and materials and Japanese paintings from the Edo period.
"The star during the day" in the title of this exhibition refers to the sun. Brazil, located directly opposite Japan, is exactly 12 hours ahead of Japan. While it's day here, it's night over there. I was born and raised in Japan, but ever since I was a child I've been curious about the people living on the other side of the planet. Is it because there is only one sun that people over there have dark days? On the other hand, I was also troubled by my own situation. I'm not half Japanese, and I can't speak their language. There are two emotions: the conflict and negativity of wanting to erase or remove, and the curiosity-fueled desire to peek.
When I paint, I believe that the act of deciding on a motif, preparing my art materials, and painting with a paintbrush is a conscious and intentional act. Among them, what is the most suitable work to express on screen one of the characteristics of Japanese people, "the act of accepting the situation as it is"? I incorporated a technique called collage, in which pieces of paper are pasted onto the screen. The foreign scenery I saw as a child, which was different from Japan, may have seemed humorous at first glance, but I felt that many of them had a strong message behind them. The people of the town left their mark in the form of graffiti, revealing a diverse world. Graffiti is fragile and can be easily erased or destroyed. However, mysteriously, these intangible messages and memories continue to remain in people's minds. My work contains timeless elements such as mineral pigments and ink, as well as elements that change over time such as foil and collage paper. When aiming to create a work of art that will last 100 years, I believe that even if my work fades or discolors, the accumulated time and existence will remain and will not disappear.
Hashimoto Yurika
Born in Hiroshima pref., Japan, 1998
2022 Graduated from Kyoto University of Arts (formerly Kyoto University of Art and Design), Department of Fine Arts and Crafts, Japanese Painting Course
2024 Completed the Master's program in Japanese painting in the field of fine arts and crafts at Kyoto University of Arts
Favorite artists：Ohtake Shinro, Fukuda Heihachiro, Konoshima Oukoku, Fujita Tsuguharu, Nagasawa Rosetsu, Ono Chikkyo, Tanaka Isson, Pierre Soulages, Wayne Thiebaud, James Turrell, KAWS, Toulouse-Lautrec, Edward Hopper, Melanie Berman, Richard Zinon
Solo exhibition
2024
"What comes into view and what disappears" Art Gallery Kitano, Kyoto
Group exhibition
2025
"Aoki Yoshiaki Retirement Commemorative Exhibition, Rethinking the story from a material perspective - Techniques and materials for teaching, learning and expression -" Kyoto University of Arts, Kyoto
2024
"Artist New Gate 〜SANBANCHO selection〜" SANBANCHO GALLERY, Tokyo
Kyoto University of Arts Graduate School Graduation Exhibition, Kyoto University of Arts, Kyoto
2023
"Aoki and Iwaizumi Seminar Exhibition - Build a layer - " Art Gallery Kitano, Kyoto
"Kamigamo Shrine Art Project 13th" Kamigamo Shrine, Kyoto
"exhibition Flowers - The pathos of things-" Gallery MOS, Mie pref., Japan
2022
"Porsche Art Museum" Gallery Baiken Award, GONDOLA PASTEL Award, Porsche Center Kyoto
"Kamigamo Shrine Art Project 12th" Kamigamo Shrine, Kyoto
Kyoto University of Arts Graduation Exhibition, Kyoto University of Arts, Kyoto
2021
"The 6th Ishimoto Masashi Japanese Painting Grand Prize Exhibition" Selected Work, Hamada City Seisho Museum of Art, Shimane pref., Japan
"Gashin - artistic instinct - exhibition, Houko -imitation old - exhibition" Kyoto University of Arts, Kyoto
2020
"Kyoto Shinkin Bank 2021 Desk Calendar Original Artwork Project" In charge of March, Kyoto Shinkin Bank, Kyoto
Scholarship
2022
Mitsubishi Corporation Art Gate Program 2022
