Ryoichi Yamazaki "I Want to Be Loved: Culture-bound Syndrome IV"

Gallery Strenger

Finished

Artists

Ryoichi Yamazaki

Ryoichi Yamazaki has been focusing his work on children with the psychological illnesses known as "culture-bound syndrome." These children are lost and stop communicating with both themselves and others, but they are children whom we want to be with and love when we feel tired, when we want to rest and when we
want to be all by ourselves. This exhibition includes several new sculptures and many drawings on wood panels, notebooks and slips of paper.

Yamazaki makes sculptures of plaster that evoke our long-lost memories. The sculptures stoke our innocent sense of defiance and revolt against the society that was our chief source of discontent when we were younger. And now we see these traits expressed in these children by the artist. Yamazaki's children are not imbued solely with a sense of gloom, but also plenty of wit. Each sculpture avoids being stranded purely in the "dark side," but also becomes a sort of entertainer and makes us happy after all.

All the children have unique gestures and expressions, and create their own relationship with us. Then we build up a special moment and chemistry together. These sweet innocent kids gradually become our precious companions but at the same time, they never come close to our heart. They are just where they are....

(Seiji Makuuchi）

[Image: "I Don't Feel Like It" (2008), paint on plaster, 7.3x27.3x23cm, private collection]

Schedule

Feb 6 (Fri) 2009-Feb 28 (Sat) 2009