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.
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.
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