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Shahpour Pouyan "Cyclopses in Doubt, Observing the West"
Tokyo Gallery + BTAP
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Artists
Shahpour Pouyan
This event marks the first solo exhibition in Japan by Iranian artist Shahpour Pouyan. Pouyan, a versatile artist, has been internationally recognized with exhibitions in venues such as the Jeddah Biennale (Saudi Arabia, 2023), Hayward Gallery (2022), Victoria & Albert Museum (2021), Pera Museum (Turkey, 2020), Rubin Museum (USA, 2020), and the British Museum (2017).
Shahpour Pouyan, born in Isfahan, Iran, in 1979, currently resides and works between London, New York, and Tehran. His work spans painting, sculpture, and ceramics, often delving into themes like history, power dynamics between nations, and the looming threat of war. Simultaneously, his art sheds light on pressing global issues. This exhibition ventures into two primary themes, the seen and the unseen, light and shadow, through a new series of ceramic sculptures.
Clay transcends mere practical or decorative applications. As seen in the intricate designs of Jomon pottery or the wisdom encoded in cuneiform inscriptions on clay tablets, clay surpasses pure functionality. It captures and conveys human thought, creativity, and innovation, deeply intertwined with life and death's dualities, shared through culture and history. What's more significant is that clay materializes the creator's thoughts, giving concrete form to abstract intelligence. In this sense, ceramics can be considered a true manifestation of the human spirit.
Pouyan's ceramic works inherit this rich tradition, functioning as "sculptures of thought." Within this exhibition, works like "Cross Maze" and "Maze Tower" explore the intriguing question of how light penetrates and travels through the labyrinthine structures he has created, employing masterful craftsmanship.
The scenario the artist envisions is the entrance of external light through windows perforating the walls, initiating a journey through the hidden labyrinth- a metaphor for the "Black Box" and the human perception mechanism.
While much of Pouyan's significant work deals with political issues, "The First Brick" stands out as a piece that offers a wide range of potential meanings. Architectural elements form the central visual motifs and language in Pouyan's work, intersecting with history, society, power, culture, and material conditions. Simple bricks and clay structures are the materials humans first used to build homes, the foundation of human relationships and social structures. By crafting the first block of an architectural structure, Pouyan invokes the meaning of clay, calling attention to the future expansion of this first piece.
In addition to the ceramic sculptures, the exhibition features paintings depicting "erased" Iranian historical relief carvings. These carvings represent powerful kings and statesmen from 1,800 years ago, intricately detailed by Pouyan, only to be intentionally erased. This act emphasizes the impermanence of political authority and the fragility of human-made constructs, leaving faint traces in the vast canvas of time and blankness.
This exhibition marks Shapour Pouyan's first solo exhibition in Japan, showcasing other ongoing series of ceramics and paintings. The opening reception will take place on the first day, November 18th (Saturday) at 4 PM, with the artist present during his visit to Japan.
Shahpour Pouyan, born in Isfahan, Iran, in 1979, currently resides and works between London, New York, and Tehran. His work spans painting, sculpture, and ceramics, often delving into themes like history, power dynamics between nations, and the looming threat of war. Simultaneously, his art sheds light on pressing global issues. This exhibition ventures into two primary themes, the seen and the unseen, light and shadow, through a new series of ceramic sculptures.
Clay transcends mere practical or decorative applications. As seen in the intricate designs of Jomon pottery or the wisdom encoded in cuneiform inscriptions on clay tablets, clay surpasses pure functionality. It captures and conveys human thought, creativity, and innovation, deeply intertwined with life and death's dualities, shared through culture and history. What's more significant is that clay materializes the creator's thoughts, giving concrete form to abstract intelligence. In this sense, ceramics can be considered a true manifestation of the human spirit.
Pouyan's ceramic works inherit this rich tradition, functioning as "sculptures of thought." Within this exhibition, works like "Cross Maze" and "Maze Tower" explore the intriguing question of how light penetrates and travels through the labyrinthine structures he has created, employing masterful craftsmanship.
The scenario the artist envisions is the entrance of external light through windows perforating the walls, initiating a journey through the hidden labyrinth- a metaphor for the "Black Box" and the human perception mechanism.
While much of Pouyan's significant work deals with political issues, "The First Brick" stands out as a piece that offers a wide range of potential meanings. Architectural elements form the central visual motifs and language in Pouyan's work, intersecting with history, society, power, culture, and material conditions. Simple bricks and clay structures are the materials humans first used to build homes, the foundation of human relationships and social structures. By crafting the first block of an architectural structure, Pouyan invokes the meaning of clay, calling attention to the future expansion of this first piece.
In addition to the ceramic sculptures, the exhibition features paintings depicting "erased" Iranian historical relief carvings. These carvings represent powerful kings and statesmen from 1,800 years ago, intricately detailed by Pouyan, only to be intentionally erased. This act emphasizes the impermanence of political authority and the fragility of human-made constructs, leaving faint traces in the vast canvas of time and blankness.
This exhibition marks Shapour Pouyan's first solo exhibition in Japan, showcasing other ongoing series of ceramics and paintings. The opening reception will take place on the first day, November 18th (Saturday) at 4 PM, with the artist present during his visit to Japan.
Schedule | Nov 18 (Sat) 2023-Dec 23 (Sat) 2023 Opening Hours Information
Opening Reception Nov 18 (Sat) 2023 16:00 - 18:00 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fee | Free | ||||
| Website | https://www.tokyo-gallery.com/exhibitions/5615.html | ||||
| Venue | Tokyo Gallery + BTAP http://www.tokyo-gallery.com/ | ||||
| Location | 7F, 8-10-5 Ginza, Chuo-ku, Tokyo 104-0061 | ||||
| Access | 4 minute walk from the Ginza exit of JR Shimbashi Station. 5 minute walk from exit A3 at Ginza Station on the Ginza, Hibiya and Marunouchi lines. 5 minute walk from exit 5 at Shiodome Station on the Toei Oedo or Yurikamome line. | ||||
| Phone | 03-3571-1808 | ||||
| Related images | Click on the image to enlarge it |
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