Kazuo Ishikawa: Imaginary Landscapes

About

On view from March 19 through April 13, the exhibit will feature a mixture of old and new wall sculptures with the older works possessing more vivid colors while the newer works have more natural coloration. The opening reception will take place on Thursday, March 21, from 6–8pm and the artist will be present that evening.

It’s always interesting to see how an artist’s work evolves and Ishikawa’s works allow us to see this one small aspect of his creative evolution. Though the artworks are somewhat different over time, the artist’s method of composing remains the same and his intention continues to be one of looking for hidden landscapes as he begins to gather the variety of materials, he uses to create each work. In the new works, one finds more natural materials like bark & branches that add an aspect of realism to these otherwise abstract and imaginary representations of landscape.

 It has been said that "Kazuo Ishikawa finds himself always looking for hidden landscapes as he gathers together a variety of materials to create an artwork. To bring these elements to life, he makes the invisible visible to the viewer through juxtaposing the inconsistencies and complexities. Approaching his constructions from multi-dimensional perspectives, the works he creates possess complex spatial considerations that defy easy interpretations.”

Ishikawa’s imaginary landscapes begin with hidden landscapes akin to blueprints – a basic landscape drawing of sorts, of spaces “seen” that don’t exist in three-dimensional space, for they are “hidden” in his imagination. The artist creates the works intuitively, using the drawing as a beginning and then fitting together the found elements like a jigsaw puzzle, but with many layers of meaning.

In his more recent works, the artist works more closely with the theme of Mother Nature, using more natural elements and materials, as he conjures more real places, like forests. Though he uses the same methods with both series of works, the artist finds the conclusion to be more specific and literal. As he states, “In this way, I draw, find, and mine the pieces. My way is still not perfect and completed, still in progress. I will try to improve it and strive for perfection.”