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2020 - Solo Exhibition
Date: December 10 - December 27, 2020
Venue: ANB Tokyo 3F & 6F
Address：5-2-4 Roppongi Minato-ku, Tokyo 106-0032 Japan
Opening hours：12:00～18:00
Closed: Mondays
*Admission free, online advance reservation required.
NYで生活するつもりだった。
いつもどおり友人たちとハグしてハイタッチして、笑いながら過ごすつもりだった。
いつもどおりハッピーな気分で絵を描き続けるつもりだった。
でも突然国境は閉ざされ、だれかと過ごすこともできなくなった。
憧れの人は国境のない場所へと旅立った。
だれもが怒り、悲しみ、そのやり場のない感情をだれかにぶつけようとした。
希望を失いそうになった。
それでも希望にすがらずにはいられなかった。
2020年は特別な1年だと、だれもがいう。
たしかにそのとおりだと思う。感情が揺すぶられ、思考がとりみだれ、
ときにはその両方がシャットダウンしそうにもなった。
こんな経験はしたことがないし、もう二度としたくない。
でもひとつだけわかっていたことがある。
アートは決して死なないということ。
アートは決してロックダウンしないということ。
だから僕は、僕が見た2020年の“景色”を描いてみようと思った。
この時代を生きるひとりのアーティストとして、自分なりに特別な1年に向き合う。
そうすることで僕は、この2020年を記憶に残そうと思う。
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
Acrylic on wood
80 × 75.2 × 5 cm
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.
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.
Acrylic on wood
80 × 38 × 5 cm
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.
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.
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?"
Acrylic on wood
47 × 80 × 5 cm
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.
Acrylic on canvas
130 × 97 × 3 cm
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.
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.
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.