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Toshio Saeki “Unnen”
Nanzuka Underground
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Artists
Toshio Saeki
This is legendary artist Toshio Saeki’s first solo presentation at the gallery, and is his largest solo exhibition to date, featuring a comprehensive selection of original works.
Saeki was born in 1954 in Miyazaki prefecture, and after spending his childhood years in Osaka, moved to Tokyo in 1969. His distinctive works that interweave elements of eroticism, humor, and horror gained the praise of Shuji Terayama and Tatsuhiko Shibusawa, leading him to make his debut on the pages of Heibon Punch magazine in 1970. In the same year, he released his first publication entitled “Toshio Saeki Art Book” (Agrément-sha) and held an exhibition that introduced the original works featured, all of which were been stolen after it closed. Saeki’s work soon gained international popularity, and one of his images was used for the cover of John Lennon and Yoko Ono’s 1972 album “Sometime in New York City.”
The world of black humor and eroticism that permeate Saeki’s works is replete with provocative gimmickry, which by means of unveiling various sexual taboos, serves to stimulate our inner selves. From observing the high literary qualities of his works as conceived through the various forms of love and desire that are inherent within them, it is evident that his depictions are not mere lustful inclinations. Moreover, viewers recognize how the “lines” define the exquisite boundaries between the simplicity and calculation that constitutes his works as art, the persuasiveness amplified through them.
Saeki’s works that can indeed be considered as contemporary Shunga (erotic art) or Yokaiga (ghost and monster art) are not confined to the context of Japan’s underground illustration scene. He continues to receive increasing international acclaim, having held exhibitions in recent years in countries such as the UK, France, Israel, the US, Canada, Hong Kong, and Taiwan. He has also seen the successive release of his publications: “Rêve écarlate” (éditions Cornélius), “Yumenozoki: Toshio Saeki Artist Book” (Kokushokankokai Inc.), and “Toshio Saeki 70” (Seirin Kogeisha).
In addition to some new pieces, this exhibition introduces a selection of Saeki’s original illustrations centering on those produced between the 1970s and 1980s. On this occasion, Saeki has also engaged in the challenge of creating a large-scale mural in color.
Saeki was born in 1954 in Miyazaki prefecture, and after spending his childhood years in Osaka, moved to Tokyo in 1969. His distinctive works that interweave elements of eroticism, humor, and horror gained the praise of Shuji Terayama and Tatsuhiko Shibusawa, leading him to make his debut on the pages of Heibon Punch magazine in 1970. In the same year, he released his first publication entitled “Toshio Saeki Art Book” (Agrément-sha) and held an exhibition that introduced the original works featured, all of which were been stolen after it closed. Saeki’s work soon gained international popularity, and one of his images was used for the cover of John Lennon and Yoko Ono’s 1972 album “Sometime in New York City.”
The world of black humor and eroticism that permeate Saeki’s works is replete with provocative gimmickry, which by means of unveiling various sexual taboos, serves to stimulate our inner selves. From observing the high literary qualities of his works as conceived through the various forms of love and desire that are inherent within them, it is evident that his depictions are not mere lustful inclinations. Moreover, viewers recognize how the “lines” define the exquisite boundaries between the simplicity and calculation that constitutes his works as art, the persuasiveness amplified through them.
Saeki’s works that can indeed be considered as contemporary Shunga (erotic art) or Yokaiga (ghost and monster art) are not confined to the context of Japan’s underground illustration scene. He continues to receive increasing international acclaim, having held exhibitions in recent years in countries such as the UK, France, Israel, the US, Canada, Hong Kong, and Taiwan. He has also seen the successive release of his publications: “Rêve écarlate” (éditions Cornélius), “Yumenozoki: Toshio Saeki Artist Book” (Kokushokankokai Inc.), and “Toshio Saeki 70” (Seirin Kogeisha).
In addition to some new pieces, this exhibition introduces a selection of Saeki’s original illustrations centering on those produced between the 1970s and 1980s. On this occasion, Saeki has also engaged in the challenge of creating a large-scale mural in color.
Schedule | Jan 20 (Sat) 2018-Mar 3 (Sat) 2018 Opening Hours Information
Opening Reception Jan 20 (Sat) 2018 18:00 - 20:00 | ||||||
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| Fee | Free | ||||||
| Website | http://nug.jp/en/exhibition/2018toshioSaeki.html | ||||||
| Venue | Nanzuka Underground http://www.nug.jp | ||||||
| Location | 3-30-10 Jingumae, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo 150-0001 | ||||||
| Access | 8 minute walk from exit 5 at Meiji-jingumae Station on the Chiyoda and Fukutoshin lines, 10 minute walk from the Takeshita exit of Harajuku Station on the JR Yamanote line. | ||||||
| Phone | 03-5422-3877 | ||||||
| Related images | Click on the image to enlarge it |
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