TEZUKAYAMA GALLERY is pleased to announce the exhibition « Sessa – The Proof of Painting IV”, curated by Atsuo Suzuki (b.1977). The exhibition will be presented as a two-person exhibition by Suzuki, the curator and Naosuke Wada (b.1983), a painter active in the Kansai region.

Suzuki was born in Aichi Prefecture in 1977 and completed his master’s in education course at Shizuoka University in 2001. He has been based in Toyohashi City, Aichi Prefecture, where he was born until now. He refers to his own work as ‘Carved Painting’, and uses a carving knife to carve out numerous layers of panels to create a variety of patterns. The images created by Suzuki are so tense that even the artist’s breath can be felt. The viewer is shown the entirety of the traces left by the repetitive act of ‘carving’ in the form of an image.

Wada was born in Hyogo Prefecture in 1983 and completed his master’s at Kyoto University of Art and Design (now Kyoto University of Art) in 2013. A painter currently based in Osaka. Referencing the classical painting technique of ‘glazing’, which involves applying layers of thinning paint, he attempts to construct his own unique pictorial expression using mediums with high transparency on the theme of light and spatiality. Using highly transparent painting materials, the delicate colour layers and depth of the paintings, created by layering, capture the light of the exhibition space itself, creating a fluid viewing experience like a drifting glacier and prompting a reconsideration of the act of seeing.

The exhibition « The Proof of Painting » which was curated by Gallery Yamaguchi kunst-bau (Mr.Takashi Yamaguchi) in 2003 and 2004. In 2021, « The Proof of Painting III – Tokai Version” was held at the VIEWING ROOM of the TEZUKAYAMA GALLERY, with Atsuo Suzuki, who was the exhibiting artist of the first edition of this project (2003), inheriting the title of the exhibition. This exhibition, the first in two years, was inspired by Suzuki’s encounter with the work of Naosuke Wada, who has been creating paintings in his own distinct way.

Both artists use a layered structure as the foundation for their paintings, but there are noticeable differences in the materials they choose to use and how they ultimately treat those elements.

 A talk event by Suzuki and Wada will be held on the 30th September (Sat) during the exhibition.

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I want to Sessa-takuma (means, strive together).

This is the theme of this year’s exhibition of The Proof of Painting. 

Two years ago, at « The Proof of Painting III »  exhibition, I curated a group exhibition. 

I visited the studios of Yae Asano, Seiji Kunishima and Junji Yamada to talk and select their work. 

As the curator of the exhibition, I gained a deeper understanding of the artists’ attitudes and working techniques.

I got a taste of this and I decided to approach Naosuke Wada, a younger artist than myself and create his I believed that organizing an exhibition while staying in touch with one another would be really beneficial.

The statement made by Mr. Wada that  « he paints as if he were making a drawing.”

For this exhibition, ‘The Proof of Painting’, Wada and I discussed the size and colour of our works and will be exhibiting them next to each other.

I ‘m hoping it will turn into a « strive together », as if I am challenging his work.

Atsuo Suzuki