Work on Paper

Pastel crayon on paper

 

79.2 x 54.5 (cm)

31.2 x 21.5 (inch)

Susumu Koshimizu was born in 1944 in Japan. He graduated from Sculpture Department, Tama Art University and later became one of the key members of Mono-ha, a pioneering art movement that emerged in Tokyo in the mid-1960s whose artists, instead of making traditional representational artworks, explored materials and their properties in reaction to what they saw as ruthless development and industrialisation in Japan.

 

When the monthly magazine "Ehime-Zasshi" was launched in 1988, Koshimizu illustrated the first 100 magazine covers. This exhibition features a caleful selection of the precious original illustrations, which have never been shown outside of print media, accompanied by "words" from Koshimizu.

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"New Year’s Day is the key to the year. I often hear this saying since I was a child. Every time I heard that, I would often tried my best ‘this year for sure’; even so after some time it all changes into pressure with something heavy around my shoulder. The cover of this month, I tried to put all my Crepas, all colours, without any creativity. 153 colours in total. For now, this, so to speak, is my way of making a commitment at the beginning of the year, by exposing what I have. Each time I opened the box of Crepas, eye-catching colours inspired me so that I very much wanted to rub against the paper, however, I recently get too excited and my hands get stiff to do so for some reason. Only 9 of them have been used so far despite of this many colour options. This year I will draw more plentifully and swimmingly, as usual, this determination may change into pressure. Phew."