Special Exhibition, 2023
MOMENTARY
DATES : November 23 – December 7, 2023
VENUE : Kyoto RYOSOKUIN
MOMENTARY
EXHIBITIONS
Solo Exhibition, 2023
ART LAND
Art keeps me entertained. Innocently and sometimes in unexpected ways
My attitude towards painting hasn’t changed since when I was a kid. The kid who used to scribble on the faces of historical figures in my textbooks and jotting down friends’ and teacher’s faces on the corner of my notes. I now draw on canvases instead of textbooks and notebooks, but the joy of drawing remains the same. When I’m drawing, my mind takes off freely beyond time and space. My right hand is just following the movement of my mind and the painting brush in my hand leaves the trail on the canvas. An indescribable happiness fills my heart when I finish drawing this way.
Friends all over the world have come to bring me various ideas, challenges and opportunities. Massive walls, sneakers, cars, clothes, cookie tins, bear-shaped figurines… I was challenged to paint on various things. Big, small, curved, spherical. It always seemed difficult at first, but when I tried, my heart and hands moved as if I were facing a canvas. If these works can be called art, then I think art is something beyond amazing. It has more possibilities than I can dream and the fun is simply immeasurable.
I’m starting to see something beyond the fun. This ART LAND is an exhibition to see the future and its possibilities. It’d make me happy and feel more liberated if you could join me on my journey of art through this ART LAND.
SHUN SUDO
DATES : January 12 – 24, 2023
VENUE : Spiral Garden
ART LAND
Solo Exhibition, 2022
Blowin’ in the Wind
The timing of this solo exhibition coincides with the ongoing Russian invasion of Ukraine that began early 2022. Among all the anti war songs Shun sudo feels that Bob Dylan’s “Blowing in the wind” (1963), one of the most popular anti-war songs, is the most relatable one for him. The song has been said to have been written in support of the black American civil rights movement of that time and raises a rhetorical question about peace, war and freedom. The singer believed that while all the answers were present no one dares to find them.
Although the song carries a strong anti-war message, it never forces an “answer” on its audience, similarly we can see this pattern in shun sudo’s work. “Flowers” and “doves,” which are the main pieces of this exhibition, are subjects frequently used as symbols of peace, which is a rather direct metaphor, and, if you look closely at the “vase” containing the “button flower,” you will notice that it can also look like an upside-down helmet of a soldier. Various other weapons meant for killing, such as shell casings and bazookas, seem to have lost their original destruction purpose and have been reborn into something new, with the artist’s re-appropriation,
In a world where political turmoil is becoming more and more severe by the day, the question of “what can art do” remains. If you are curious about SHUN SUDO’s attempt to answer this question, come and see for yourself.
Cultural Studies Scholar – Hiroki Yamamoto
DATES : July 9 – 24, 2022
VENUE : elephant STUDIO
Blowin’ in the Wind
Solo Exhibition, 2021
Art Demic
Can’t verbalize. No need to put into words.
Therefore, I paint.
Why do you paint? Tell us the background of this painting? What’s art for you?
I paint just because I want to,
but for some reason people ask me for words.
There is no reason.
No context nor interesting story behind it.
I don’t consider myself doing art.
There may be a message to it but that’s not the reason why I paint.
I paint what I want to, the way I want to,
when I want to.
When I’m painting, I don’t feel like I’m myself, yet again I guess it’s me and my true self.
That feeling cannot be verbalized and I don’t even give a damn about trying to describe it in words.
I paint because that moment gives me irresistible happiness. Therefore, I paint.
SHUN SUDO
DATES : December 11 – 26, 2021
VENUE : MU GALLERY
Art Demic
Solo Exhibition, 2021
Patio
We don’t have to go into the mountains,
jungles or savanna to see flowers blooming,
bugs crawling and birds flapping their
beautiful wings.
While living in a big city called Tokyo,
it makes me happy every time
when I feel their vigorous vitality and
sparkling spirits.
I am reassured by the thought that I’m living
with them.
I wanted to draw those ordinary but
irreplaceable lives.
SHUN SUDO
DATES : October 9 – 14, 2021
VENUE : The Tokyo EDITION, Toranomon
Patio
Solo Exhibition, 2020
2020
I was planning on living in New York.
I was planning on high-fiving, hugging my friends and laughing at our stupid jokes as we’ve always done so.
I was planning on painting everyday feeling as happy as I’ve always been.
But suddenly, the borders were shut down, we couldn’t see each other, couldn’t spend time together.
We weren’t allowed to travel but the person who I admired departed to a place where borders no longer exist.
People were angry, sad and didn’t know what to do with their nasty feelings.
We almost even lost our hopes, but again, we couldn’t help but to hang on to our hopes.
Everyone says the year 2020 has become a special year. I agree.
My emotions were severely shaken, my thoughts were drastically distracted.
I could feel myself shutting down.
I’ve never experienced such a ride and hope I never will again.
There was one thing I always knew.
Art never dies. Art will never be locked down.
So, I decided to draw. Draw the “scenery” of 2020,
the view from my eyes and the landscape within myself.
As an artist living in this era, I face this year in my own way.
That’s how I decided to remember this special year of 2020.
SHUN SUDO
DATES : December 10 – December 27, 2020
VENUE : ANB Tokyo 3F & 6F
California Love, 2020
Acrylic on canvas / 90 × 90 × 3cm
Kobe Bean Bryant, a basketball player who suddenly left this world in January 2020. Shun Sudo who deeply admires Kobe drew this piece with heartfelt condolences and gratitude. Two flowers represent Kobe and his daughter who passed away with him. By placing these flowers side-by-side, the figure “8” – one of his retired numbers pops out. The shoelace flower stems are tied to his other retired number “24” and “LA”. You can also find a basketball if you look closely at the center of the purple flower.
Access All Areas, 2020
40.6 × 30.7 × 5 cm
We were able to travel almost anywhere on this planet, anytime we wanted to as long as we had a legit passport. Where should we go next? What kind of trip is it going to be? Any exciting encounters along the way? But, our privilege to travel was suddenly deprived. Invisible curtains were drawn in between invisible borders. But these curtains will part again someday. Someday will surely come and we will be able to travel again without any restraint. Our passports are anxiously waiting in the drawers for that day to come.
Flyaway, 2020
Acrylic on canvas / 60 × 60 × 3cm
Balloon floating in the sky. The sphere which resembles the earth, seems joyful and also wobbly at the same time. When you turn this piece upside down, you’ll see why. The joyful balloon transforms into a bomb with a fuse. This planet we live on now may be wobbly balanced on such a fine line.
Carry The Day , 2020
Acrylic on canvas / 75 × 75 × 3cm
Life Style is changing for the sake of eco-friendliness. But is there any “truth” in there? Plastic? Nylon? Fabric? The important thing is not about what kind of material it is. It’s what you put in there, what you think about, and how you live your life.
It’s So Hard, 2020
Acrylic on canvas / 130 × 97 × 3cm
This piece may be the modern “Guernica”. 2020 when COVID-19 changed the world. Imposing weapons are no longer useful in front of invisible enemies. No one can predict how the world is changing. Anxiety, confusion, anger, sadness … Still, the world plays the music of hope. John Lennon sang “Imagine” thinking of the world. SHUN SUDO drew this piece thinking of the world. “It’s So Hard” is a song that was released as the B-side to the single “Imagine” in 1971. Please feel the artist’s intention of choosing that title of a side-B song for this piece.
BUTTON FLOWER_2020_01, 2020
Acrylic on wood / 80 × 75.2 × 5cm
Let’s suppose we have a piece of fabric with a world map on it. What’s drawn in the middle is the Atlantic Ocean. Europe on the right, Americas on the left. That’s the current world standard. The Japanese archipelago is drawn on the far right. Sure, we’re far east. But what if we made a jacket with this fabric? Atlantic Ocean will be on your back and Japan will be on the front and about where your buttons are. Buttons hold separate fabrics into one. They represent bonds and hopes for the future. This floral motif repeatedly drawn by Shun Sudo is the representation of his thoughts similar to such prayers.
New Normal Temperature, 2020
Acrylic on wood / 47 × 80 × 5cm
Every color is just as beautiful and just as precious. What should be there is not hatred nor conflict, but LOVE & PEACE. If they melt together like ice cream, I think it’ll be much sweeter. The yellow cone at the bottom holding the ice cream cannot be overlooked.
Are You Ready?, 2020
Acrylic on canvas / 60 × 60 × 3cm
In 2020, the world paid attention to the election of the Superpower. Will there be any change in the relationship between the stylish mouse with white gloves and a cat-shaped robot born in the Far East? For the upcoming new year, new world, new relationships – “Are You Ready?”
Queensberry rules, 2020
Acrylic on wood / 80 × 38 × 5cm
Battles of swearing and abusive words on SNS without any moral or rule. Venting out your stress at each other is not called communication. It’s devastating to know some people are using techs to hurt others when it’s made to connect us all. The rules always exist and they should be LOVE and RESPECT. Don’t ever forget that.
And ?, 2020
Acrylic on canvas / 116.7 × 910 × 2.5cm
How encouraging were those four Alphabets for us. Even if they are physically distant from each other, We were inspired by LOVE of our families, lovers and friends. But that’s not enough to move on. We who endured firmly are now heading for the future. All you need for that is LOVE and “?”. The answer can be surely found in you.
2020
Studying history was never my thing. I was always more interested in the present and future, rather than what happened in the past. I didn’t have a strong sense of patriotism toward Japan either. I felt more admiration for the countries I had yet to see across the ocean than the country where I was born and raised. That’s probably why I spent a long time traveling overseas.
It’s funny how the more I traveled, the more I felt the wonders of Japan, and the more I thought about its history and traditions. It wasn’t until I became an adult who was able to travel freely that I realized perhaps the scenery that I had casually seen and the changing seasons I had taken for granted were something unique to Japan. Something that had been created over a long period of time.
When I looked at the carefully maintained garden from the veranda of Ryosokuin, I thought that this was exactly the beauty of Japan. The appearance changes swiftly to a move of a cloud or a blow of a wind. These trees, rocks and water have created this beautiful landscape over hundreds of years, gradually changing their shapes and colors. Everything I saw seemed instantaneous and eternal at the same time.
With mixed senses of great awe and pride, I started painting. I had never been conscious of being Japanese while drawing until now. In fact, I had always thought of myself as a person who is far from such nationalism. During the process of painting, the Japanese part of me awakened. I feel as if the landscape and history of Ryosokuin has awaken the Japanese in me. I was taken to a place I would never have reached on my own and was able to create this work of art I would never have been able to draw by myself. Through this work, I would like to express my gratitude to Ryosokuin, Kyoto and to Japan for raising me.
SHUN SUDO