Kyoto Meetings

Akiyama Yo’s singular expression, marked by the fissures extending across the surfaces of his ceramics, delves into the ontological nexus between sculptural forms, space, and perception. In contrast, Kodama Yasue’s paintings transcend the dichotomy between realism and abstraction, fixing her gaze on landscapes beyond the faculty of human vision. We are proud to present the works of these two domestically and internationally acclaimed artists who have continued their creative journeys in Kyoto for decades.

Akiyama studied under Yagi Kazuo, the organizer of Sōdeisha, an avant-garde ceramics group, and participated in one of the group’s exhibitions organized by Yagi in his late years. By harnessing the volatile ‘phenomenon’ in which the temperament of the clay intersects with the artist’s intention, Akiyama’s sculptural forms are amalgamations of opposing elements such as artifice and nature, and creation and destruction. Drawing on the vessel as a thematic framework for this art fair, we are proud to present new works from Akiyama’s most iconic Metavoid series, which explores the intimate yet dynamic relationship between interior and exterior. Additionally, we will exhibit Watatsumi (2011), a painting from Kodama’s Deep Rhyme series that portrays seascapes, which she has been developing since 2009, alongside new works that explore the subtle play of shadows cast by trees. Kodama’s paintings awaken us to an ‘enigmatic existence’ beyond the reality of the depicted image, a presence that emerges through the fissures of her expression in the interplay between the materiality of the paint and her acute sensitivity towards the image. The fissures that extend across the surfaces of Akiyama’s sculptural expressions invite the viewer into the depths of an unseeable interior. These expressions invite you to look deeper; we hope you may engage with the questions they evoke.