22 Gallery Shows


GOYO AND HIS CONTEMPORARIES


Renowned for his bijin-ga (pictures of beautiful women), Goyo Hashiguchi (1880- 1921) was a luminary of the Shin Hanga, or ‘new print’ movement. While he died before he could see the development of modern bijin-ga, Goyo set a tone and a standard for the genre through his intimate and technically brilliant woodblock prints. At his death, his entire artistic career spanned 15 years, of which only the last five were spent producing prints. He completed a total of only 14 prints during his lifetime. Te exhibition Goyo and His Contemporaries pairs all 14 of Goyo Hashiguchi’s lifetime designs with those of other modern masters of the bijin-ga genre– Kiyoshi Kobayakawa (1897-1948), Kotondo Torii (1900-1976), and Shinsui Ito (1898-1972). From blushing contours to shimmering mica, naturalistic form to tangible textiles, together their work defined the genre for the modern era. Goyo Hashiguchi was born


in Kagoshima Prefecture to a Shijo-style painter. He began his career in Kano painting at age 10, moving to Tokyo in 1899 to study with the leading painter Gaho Hashimoto. However, Goyo soon shifted to Western-style painting under the tutelage of Seiki Kuroda at the Tokyo School of Fine Arts, where he graduated at the top of his class in 1905. Shortly thereafter, the prominent Shin Hanga publisher Shozaburo Watanabe convinced him to try his hand at printmaking. Watanabe


JIAN YOO A Special Presentation


Tradition is the fountain of South Korean artist Jian’s Yoo’s work; it is both a source and a force propelling her into new territory. Working in the precise and fine medium of nacre (mother-of- pearl) lacquer inlay, Jian’s broad practice ranges several distinct yet equally creative ranges. Each range can be defined by how closely it hews to tradition in form, technique, imagery, and process. Tis body of work featured focuses on Jian’s most spectacular series, which bridges historical and contemporary work to the extent that it might be considered an inter- generational collaboration. To properly understand the cultural value of this work, one must first know the circumstances in the artist’s life that lead to its creation. In 1978, when Jian’s father


Combing the Hair (1920) by Goyo Hashiguchi, colour woodblock print


published Goyo’s first woodblock print, Nude after Bathing in 1915, yet their collaboration ended there. Unlike many Shin Hanga artists, Goyo Hashiguchi established his own workshop. From 1918, Goyo oversaw each stage of the printing process. Te artist’s sensitive


portrayal of women in a delicate, serene, and infinitely graceful mode led to his immediate popularity. His standards were so high that he rarely allowed his editions to run more than


RASHEED ARAEEN Islam & Modernism


Aligning with the themes from his newly released book, Islam & Modernism, Araeen’s exhibition of the same name visually argues for the influence of Islamic art in his oeuvre. Araeen is contemplating the problem of how to assert his Muslim identity both within his practice and within the broader doctrines of modern art. He asks, ‘Why should [modernism] be Eurocentric, representing the achievement of only white artists, when many other cultures have contributed to it? Tis question has been raised, and is still being raised, by many who have been excluded from it’. Critical theorists like Okwui Enwezor have thoughtfully diversified the category of modernity, yet the canon of modern art continues to struggle against a European origin story. By looking at an artist like Araeen, can we find an alternative narrative, one that looks to the architecture (and even name) of the Ka’ba and


ASIAN ART | NOVEMBER 2022 |


eighty prints. Tis decision resulted in some of the most technically superb woodblock prints of the period. On 24 February, 1921, complications from an inner ear infection and meningitis cut Goyo’s career tragically short. At his death, he left designs in various stages of completion. Members of his family completed these designs following his death.


founded his Seoul studio, Yoosung Crafts, it was heady times for traditional nacre inlay, with a strong and sophisticated domestic


Moonlit 50 by Jian Yoo, vase, mother of pearl, fibre reinforced plastic (carbon, stone powder and polycoat), 48 x 46 cm


market for this heritage craft form. In this rewarding environment, the work reached a new pinnacle of artistry and skill. Rich and elaborate panels of traditional scenes, icons and imagery were produced by his more than 100 artisans. Historical panels were also collected, with the intent of transforming new and old alike into folding screens, wall hangings, or furniture. When the global force of


modernization reached full strength in South Korea in the late 1980s, new homes and lifestyles became less sympathetic to traditional forms and techniques. Nacre inlay, always a sought-after luxury, had also become exorbitantly expensive, inspiring low quality commercial imitations which tarnished its appeal. As the market receded, Jian’s father changed his focus, and hundreds of stunning panels were left sealed in storage along with a vast trove of high quality, wild- harvested nacre. As an endangered and protected material, new nacre is farmed, and lacking the variety, size, thickness, color, sheen and depth of the wild material. Te hundreds of historical panels and raw nacre that Jian’s studio now preserves, is a valuable resource in today’s world, and it is from this trove that the body of work on show comes.


• Until 20 December, at Culture Object, New York, cultureobject.com


ADEL ABDESSEMED Out, Out, Brief Candle


• From 3 November to 22 December, Ronin Gallery, 32 West 40th Street, New York, roningallery.com


Many contemporary artists establish a link between history or literature and some of their works, drawing inspiration from the past. Few are the artists interacting with our present history, stating their views through their art, not afraid to take a stand, even if at the risk of being at the centre of controversy or fierce discussions. Adel Abdessemed (b 1971, Algeria) is clearly part of the latter group, as he has never been reluctant to speak out, make statements that he felt had to be made. Tis should be pointed out at a time when courage, in all its forms, is a quality that is scarce, even more so in the art world. His latest works continue


Islam & Modernism by Rasheed Araeen, Gallerie Continua


iconoclasm of Islamic art first and Cezanne’s contemplation of geometry second? Known for his pioneering


work in Minimalist and Conceptual Art in the 1960s and 70s, Araeen has provided an alternative voice and non-Western interpretation of European idioms for decades. His continually evolving practice is reflected within the


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current exhibition, introducing neon sculpture to his visual vocabulary of painting and wall structures. Concurrent with the exhibition opening will be a celebration of Araeen’s newest book, detailing his new take on a long and storied career.


• Until 19 November, Aicon Gallery, New York, aicongallery.com


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• Until 26 November, Gallerie Continua, Paris,


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Tonight no man will sleep (2022) by Adel Abdessemed, courtesy the artist and Gallerie Continua © Adel Abdessemed, Paris ADAGP 2022


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his investigation of the world we live in, zooming in on the migration issue and the present conflict in Ukraine. Tonight No Man Will Sleep, a sculpture depicting the artist himself with a burning globe on his shoulder, accurately summarises the present state of the world. Te conflict in Ukraine is of concern to everybody, a crisis making the headlines on a daily basis and documented through footage and numerous photographs. Olivia Sand


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