√K Contemporary Presents Kiyoshi Hamada’s 3rd Major Solo Exhibition, “Strata of Memory -Light and Shadow-"

Tokyo, Japan, August 28, 2020 --(PR.com)-- √K Contemporary is proud to present Kiyoshi Hamada’s third major solo exhibition, “Strata of Memory -Light and Shadow-” from September 19 (Sat) to October 24 (Sat), 2020. This exhibition will present approximately 30 works, with a diverse selection of large to small scaled works, from the 1980’s to the present.

Following his solo exhibitions at Kashima Arts (Tokyo, 2016) and Nerima Art Museum (Tokyo, 2015), Kiyoshi Hamada has since participated in international art fairs, receiving much global acclaim.

In this exhibition, Hamada revisits his Drawing series (very large works of paper with huge, black, hand-drawn lead surfaces, amassed from innumerous, single lines of pencil,) for the first time in 40 years and introduces a new work that exceeds 3m in length.

Beginning his career an award-winning woodblock print artist in the 1970s, Hamada's works were sought and acquired by various domestic and international museums very early on. With a desire to expand beyond printmaking, in the 1980’s, Hamada searched for new forms of expression and introduced the Drawing series. However, in discovering and adopting a different, independent mode of production, Hamada discontinued his Drawing series, and began the process of "shaving, carving and layering." In this exhibition, Hamada revisits Drawing for the first time in 40 years.

In addition, this exhibition will showcase the artist's newest series of semi-sculptural works. Contrasting the his previous, entirely two-dimensional works, this series presents mono-colored works of woodblocks on plywood. Giving light and shadow to an otherwise monochrome surface, these works are subject to the viewer's line of sight. A balance play between the viewer and the work, this series, like much of Hamada's oeuvre, is subtle and intimate.

Always evolving, Hamada never ceased art production and, with constant self-reflection, continues to challenge himself to find new ways to create while also producing works that are, in many ways, temporally accumulated, sublimated indexes of his very own movements. Now past 80 years old, Hamada will present the new forms of expressions, techniques, and values he has developed over his career.

There will also be a special talk with the artist, Kiyoshi Hamada, and guest speakers, Yuji Akimoto (Director of The University Art Museum - Tokyo University of the Arts, and Director of the Nerima Art Museum) and Ren Fukuzumi (Art Critic) on Sept 22.

*Talk will be in Japanese. Event highlights with English subtitles will be published online, thereafter.

In addition, catalogs containing exhibited works and an essay by the acclaimed Japanese critic, Ren Fukuzumi, will be published.

*Printed in English & Japanese, see more on the √K Contemporary website.

Exhibition Summary
Title: “Strata of Memory - Light and Shadow –"
(Japanese: “Kioku no Chiso -Hikari to Kage-“)
Artist: Kiyoshi Hamada
Dates: Sept 19 to Oct 24, 2020.
Artist Talk: September 22, from 3pm
Venue: √K Contemporary (6 Minamicho, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo)
Exhibition URL: https://root-k.jp/exhibitions/strata_of_memory_hamada_kiyoshi/

＊Depending on the severity of the COVID-19 outbreak, event details are subject to change.