Sea' Sand' Sun' and Sculptures: Toru Kuwakubo Solo Exhibition

Since his great success in Nunu Fine Arts' group exhibition “Controlled Coincidence” in 2016, Toru Kuwakubo is back this March for his first solo exhibition in Taiwan: “Sea’ Sand’ Sun’ and Sculptures”.  

Toru Kuwakubo was born in Kanagawa, Japan. He has been working with oil paintings while taking inspirations from classic figures in western art history. In fact, we can even say that Kuwakubo possesses a western impressionist soul. At first glance, many may be surprised by Kuwakubo’s apparent western style, which is so different from other Japanese art. His flowing strokes with thick pigments remind us of the works of famous Impressionists such as Vincent van Gogh or Paul Gauguin. Indeed, all of their works present lively shades with bold freehand illustration. However, the paintings of Kuwakubo transpire a more ebullient and innocent atmosphere. Underneath Kuwakubo’s vigorous touch and vibrant colors, the sky, the sea, and the sand are fused together by the vaporing air while masterpieces randomly scattered on the beach. The fanciful structure and imagined sceneries of his paintings remind us of the grotesque but brilliant triptych oil painting, ‘The Garden of Earthly Delights’ of Hieronymus Bosch.

Kuwakubo consciously practices his western style with the intention to explore the connection between western art and his Japanese identity. As he carefully depicts the masters’ studios and ruminates over their thoughts and emotions, we can see a superimposition of the west and the east in this reconstruction of space-time. 

Toru Kuwakubo’s solo exhibition presents not only his famous ‘Artists’ Studio’ series, but has broadened the subjects of depiction from 2D to 3D by adding a new ‘Sculptors’ Studio’ series. The studios Kuwakubo rebuilt belong to three famous sculptors: Alberto Giacometti, Henry Spencer Moore, and Alexander Calder. Although the three artists had lived in different countries -- Switzerland, the United Kingdom and the United States, they all have been recognized as the figures that had inherited the spirit of Post-Impressionism, and representing a transition from Expressionism to Abstract Expressionism.

The masterpieces Toru Kuwakubo reproduced in his imaginary world not only echo with his personal style with the flowing emotions and the curvy lines on the sculptures, but they also allow his audience a review on these leading figures from a novel and approachable point of view.

Browse pieces from Nunu Fine Art Gallery here.