BIO

Ryo Shimizu

Born in Tokyo in 1976.
Since 2001, I have produced many works as a video director for corporate advertisements and music videos. In 2018, I started working as a contemporary artist focusing on pictorial expression.

1976年東京生まれ。
2001年より企業広告やミュージックビデオなどの映像ディレクターとして多くの作品を制作。2018年より絵画表現を中心とした美術家としても活動を開始。

 

Coloring materials are noise that hinders reproduction.
Even if you draw it, the motif cannot be reproduced accurately. Photo and video documentaries are much more accurate. In other words, paintings drawn with paint are fiction and should be questioned.

What is noise? For example, like VHS tapes, which were once mainstream, it interferes with the time you spend watching movies. But it also instantly separates the viewer from the story, giving them time to calm down and revisit the work. Is what you drew really what you thought? We encourage you to suspiciously revisit the events, incidents, and issues that occur as you work.

My paintings, which use Coloring materials as noise, are not intended to be an exact copy of the image. Therefore, the subject matter is heavily distorted and the referrer is abstracted to the extent that it is difficult to distinguish. Rather, the drawing process is more important than the finished form, and I am improvising and trying to raise the issue through the artist’s filter.

The painting may say, “You should doubt the artist.”

絵具は、再現を阻むノイズである。
それを用いて描けども、キャンバスへイメージを定着するにはあまりにも作家の意識や手癖が入り込み、写真や映像メディアでのドキュメンタリーに比べると随分と正確性に欠けることになる。つまり、絵具で描かれたものはフィクションであり、疑うべきなのである。

ノイズとは何か?例えばかつて主流であったVHSテープのそれのように、映画鑑賞のひとときを邪魔する存在。しかしそれは瞬時に鑑賞者をストーリーから引き剥がし、冷静に作品を見つめ直す時間を与えてくれるものでもある。描かれていたものは本当に自分が受け取っていたようなものであるのか?作品に映っている事象や事件、問題を疑い見つめ直すことを促すのだ。

絵具をノイズと捉え描かれる私の絵画は、像を正確に写し取ることを目的としない。したがって被写体は大きく歪み、参照元が判別しづらいほどに抽象化される。むしろ大切にされるのは、その描かれるものよりも描くプロセスにあり、即興的に構築することで作家のフィルターを通した問題提起を試みている。

疑え、見つめ直せ、熟考せよ、と訴える絵画は、作家である私ですら信じるなと言っているかもしれない。

 
Solo Exhibitions:
2022   COUNT DOWN, haco – art brewing gallery – , Tokyo
2020   GLITCH, RIGNA TERRACE TOKYO, Tokyo

Group Exhibitions:
2023   Independent Tokyo 2023, TOKYO PORTCITY TAKESHIBA, Tokyo
2022   Independent Tokyo 2022, TOKYO PORTCITY TAKESHIBA, Tokyo
2022   IAG Artists Selection 2022 Ikebukuro Kaiyu-ha Art Exhibition, Tokyo Metropolitan Theater, Tokyo
2022   IAG Artists’ Small Works, Myonichikan of the Jiyu Gakuen, Tokyo
2021   Independent Tokyo 2021, TOKYO PORTCITY TAKESHIBA, Tokyo
2021   FOCUS LONDON, FOLD Gallery London, London
2021   IAG AWARDS 2021, Tokyo Metropolitan Theater, Tokyo
2021   DOHJIDAI Exhibition, DOHJIDAI GALLERY, Kyoto
2020   Independent Tokyo 2020, TOKYO PORTCITY TAKESHIBA, Tokyo
2020   SPIRAL INDEPENDENT CREATORS FESTIVAL 21, SPIRAL, Tokyo
2020   Artistic Voices – 3D virtual exhibition by HONGLEE CURATOR, kunstmatrix
2020   Dream – On the Road to Basel, ART FAIR FRAME, Basel
2020   New Year Anniversary Exhibition, MDP GALLERY, Tokyo
2019   Art of Giving vol.4, MDP GALLERY, Tokyo
2019   UNKNOWN ASIA Art Exchange Osaka 2019, Osaka
2019   FRAME 2019 International Contemporary Art Fair, Paris
2019   ART SCHOOL in sheep’s clothing, Nakameguro LOUNGE, Tokyo
2019   Independent Tokyo 2019, HULIC HALL TOKYO, Tokyo
2019   Tokyo Independent 2019, Tokyo University of the Arts, Tokyo
2019   ARTMOVE Japan Art Competition vol.24, enoco, Osaka
2019   Deer’s Trophy Art Exhibition, ego Art & Entertainment Gallery, Tokyo
2019   ACT ART AWARD 2019, The Artcomplex Center of Tokyo, Tokyo
2019   Daitabashi Nandnale II, Gallery DEN5, Tokyo
2018   ART EVENT DESIGN FESTA vol.48, TOKYO BIG SIGHT, Tokyo
2018   Portfolio Exhibition 2018, Gallery Shinjuku Ophthalmologist, Tokyo
2018   Independent Tokyo 2018, HULIC HALL TOKYO, Tokyo

Prizes & Awards:
2021   IAG AWARDS 2021, Prize
2019   UNKNOWN ASIA Art Exchange Osaka 2019, Reviewer Prize
2019   ARTMOVE Japan Art Competition vol.24, Prize
2008   SHORT SHORT FILM FESTIVAL & ASIA 2008 NEO Japan
2008   DIGITAL SHORT AWARD vol.1 Election
2006   SHORT FILM CONTEST C’s NEXT vol.2 Survive.8