Exhibition of Japanese Post-War Paintings and Contemporary Ceramics now through Nov. 19

 Chicago, IL — Floating World Gallery (FWG) presents “Creating What Has Never Been”, an exhibition of Japanese post-war paintings and contemporary ceramics, at the gallery’s Lincoln Park location, 1925 N. Halsted St., Sept. 24 to Nov. 19, 2010. The exhibition will showcase internationally renowned painters and contemporary ceramic artists known for the revolutionary quality of their artwork.

 

The painting portion of the exhibition will feature masterpieces in Japanese post-war paintings by leading Gutai artist Imai Toshimitsu, along with his peers Sadamasa Motonaga, Soichiro Tomioka, Toko Shinoda and Genichiro Inokuma. Highlights include Motonaga’s “Untitled” work from 1963, previously exhibited at MOMA’s 1965 watershed exhibition of Japanese post-war painting, as well as Toshimitsu’s “Soleil Fondu” from 1963, previously exhibited in the 1965 Sao Paulo Biennial. 

The Gutai movement sought to break through the boundaries imposed by the international art establishment and to “create what has never been”. The work from this movement has often been compared to that of American post-war abstract expressionist artists such as Jackson Pollock, Sam Francis, De Kooning and Franz Kline, some of whom worked side by side with their Japanese counterparts. For Gutai school artists, the artistic process was chance collaboration between physical action and material, leading into undiscovered worlds. Utilizing standard artistic mediums as well as unconventional materials, these post-war painters charted new ground in both the manner in which they produced art as well as the aesthetic of the finished work.

The ceramic portion of the exhibition will include works by acclaimed ceramic artist Fukami Sueharu and fellow contemporary artists Takagaki Atsushi, Maeta Akihiro, Sakurai Yasuko and Kako Katsumi, among others. In their drive to push beyond current artistic boundaries, these artists use traditional media but sculpt and shape them into forms completely untraditional in Japanese ceramic culture. They are on the cutting edge of contemporary Japanese ceramics and are some of the most sought after artists in the ceramic art world today. 

Floating World Gallery, located in Chicago’s Lincoln Park neighborhood, takes its name from the English translation of “ukiyo-e”, referring to images of an evanescent, impermanent world of fleeting beauty. The gallery has been one of the world’s leading dealers in Japanese art for more than 20 years, offering clients, private collectors and institutions the highest quality works of art. Floating World Gallery opened its new 8,200 square-foot gallery space in October 2009 and is now actively engaged in helping to educate the public and increase awareness of the rich world of modern Japanese art. Gallery hours are Tuesday through Saturday, 1 to 5 p.m. and by appointment. For more information call 312-587-7800, fax 312-575-3565 or email artwork@floatingworld.com.