JOJI NAKAMURA

Joji Nakamura - An Introspective Query
May 3rd – May 31st, 2024

Opening: Friday, May 3rd, 6pm - 8pm
THE FRIDGE 31 Great Jones Street
New York, NY 10012

 

(New York, NY) The Fridge is delighted to announce the exhibition “An Introspective Query”, showcasing a collection of new paintings by the artist Joji Nakamura. The show will be available for public viewing at 31 Great Jones Street, from May 3rd to May 31st,  marking Joji's third collaborative project with us, his first solo exhibition at The Fridge and in the US.
Originally from Japan, Joji paints directly with his hand on the canvas, offering a unique portrayal of human figures and landscapes. For this exhibition at The Fridge, Joji is venturing into large-scale works for the first time.

 

Joji Nakamura "Portrait in green dress"
30 x 40 inches [76.2cm x 101.6cm] (Acrylic on canvas, oak frame) - 5000 USD
  

 

 

Artist Statement

There exists a yearning for the bygone era of the Ecole de Paris.
Every epoch possesses its range of experiences, encompassing the good, the bad, the beautiful, the sad, and the tragic. This premise underpins my reflections. I discern traces of romanticism in the manner in which the Ecole de Paris artists interacted, the connections forged among them, and in the very essence of their creations.
I want to be like the painters of that era. In our current age, the relentless onslaught of information and the velocity of change have eclipsed the romantic ethos once prevalent in society. I find that people are gradually losing touch with the spiritual essence of romanticism. This observation holds, even as I, myself, revel in the conveniences and wealth of information offered by the modern world. I hold out hope that the term "romance" retains its multifaceted significance. It embodies love, passion, dreams, and sometimes, even illusions and lies. The era when people could be stirred by the unfilled spaces in their hearts may seem to have passed. What form of romance can a painter, living in such an era, articulate and depict? My introspective query marked the inception of this artistic journey: I started painting.  The first painting was born from a desire to give “flesh & blood” substance to my yearning for that past era. Portraits, landscapes, and still-life compositions emerged, breathing a sense of beauty and fostering hope for my journey as an artist. The next arose from a need to express the quintessential aspects of human nature—spirit, emotion, and sensitivity. Initially fraught with apprehension that I might lose touch with my romantic inclinations and be consumed with modernity, I embarked on this endeavor. However, some abstract beauty emmerged, revealing a profound core. It encapsulated the beauty in contemporary life, as I perceive it. From these endeavors, two hopes were born. I believe it is inherently romantic to harbor hope and I would derive immense joy as a painter if the viewers could reconnect with the uncharted spaces within their hearts, and envision something wonderful upon encountering my painting and learning about the genesis of it. I am sure that there is romance even in this day and age.

Artist Bio

Born in 1974, Joji Nakamura currently lives and works in Yokohama, Japan. Joji Nakamura paints with his hands using acrylic, gesso, graphite and ink on canvas. His extruded faces are instantly recognizable. Nakamura’s dynamic strokes transform into his own rendition of a classic portrait, a figure painting or a surreal landscape created with his body. He has held exhibitions in Paris, the Netherlands, Taiwan and Japan. In recent years, Nakamura added colors to the monotone repertoire paintings of his early years, presenting portraits and still life pieces in soft blotchy hues. Past shows include Kaplan Projects in Mallorca, Peter Augustus gallery in Dallas, Galerie Mikiko Fabiani in Paris and Scooters For Peace in Tokyo.

 

Gallery open to the public May 3rd to May 31st, Tuesday to Saturday 1pm 6pm
for more information contact juliendavid@gmail.com

 

THE FRIDGE