Motoaki Shiraishi (Otsu High School), a second-year master's student in the Graduate Graduate School of Fine Arts has had his works "Strategy I," "Strategy II," and "Strategy III" selected for the 61st Showa-kai Exhibition.
This exhibition is a prestigious open-call exhibition that has been held since 1965 with the aim of discovering and nurturing young artists.
"Strategy I" is a 91 x 91 cm oil painting featuring sardines, wine, medicine, dried fruit, a fork, and a pocket watch as motifs. It is characterized by the complex color representation of the sardines and the unusual composition in which disparate elements are placed in a quiet space where time seems to stand still.
"Strategy II" is a 53 x 45.5 cm oil painting featuring shrimp, medicine, dried fruit, wine, and chains as motifs. It contrasts aquatic life with humans who try to sustain life through medicine and artificial materials, expressing the differences in the nature of life.
"Strategy III" is a 53 x 45.5 cm oil painting featuring gizzard shad, a pocket watch, a crystal figurine, and marbles as motifs. It depicts the image of fish whose lives are ended for human convenience as food, and the existence of us humans who accept this as a part of everyday life, all within a single image.
Regarding the creation of this work, Shiraishi says, "I was able to clearly express my own views on life and death. In my work, I value expressing texture and weight, but this time, in addition to that, I also tried to convey the atmosphere, stillness, and tension that permeates the scene. I struggled to express the hardness and coldness unique to artificial objects with paint, but by depicting the difference from the organic texture of living things, I made an effort to convey the overall contrast and meaning of the image more effectively."
Shiraishi said, "I am deeply honored to have been selected for this exhibition, which I have always admired. Having my work recognized in such a historic setting has been a great encouragement to me. I will continue to work diligently on creating artwork and pursue expression while delving deeper into my themes."
【graduate school】
