Contemplative Nature

About

In their first exhibition in Britain, and within the context of Anise Gallery's architectural ethos, husband and wife artists Setsuko and Shigetomo Suzuki join forces to showcase a body of work that explores humanity and our interaction with the world. From the purely utilitarian to our relationship with nature, questions about beauty, harmony and reverence are explored through a series of quiet works. Born in Tokyo, Japan, Shigetomo's first exhibition was held at the end of the seventies, prior to his graduation from the Tokyo University of Arts. He has since exhibited regularly at prestigious galleries around Tokyo. Realistic in nature, the focus of his work has been exploring the art of painting as a process of contemplation and exploration rather than a way of recording memories. Although realisitc in nature, Shigetomo delves deeper beneath the surface to reveal the essence behind his art. Raised in the Yamaguchi prefecture of Japan, Setsuko graduated from Tokyo University of arts in 1981 and had her first solo exhibition two years later. Since then she has regularly been invited to exhibit in and around Tokyo. Her work is exploratory and finds sense within the process itself. Like a sculptor, she extracts the elements, lines and colours from each canvas, giving way to the unexpected, allowing each work to take on a life of its own. As organic forms coalesce in both artists work, ‘Contemplative Nature' brings a silent thoughtfulness to the gallery, absorbing viewers into a sublime world. Thought provoking and eerily silent, their work delves deep below the surface of the paint.