TEZUKAYAMA GALLERY / VIEWING ROOM is pleased to hold an exhibition ‘NEOLOGISM 21714-21743’ by Takemi Nishimoto.

Nishimoto finished a master’s degree at Art and Design of University of Tsukuba and has started a career as an artist since he graduated.
Nishimoto has kept his consistent approach since his debut, which is the exhibition ‘NEOLOGISM’ until now.

His work seems hard to understand because of his visualities which are inspired by philosophy with his unique point of view, however, his installation space has an overwhelming impact that will be retained in the memories of viewers.

This exhibition’s title ‘NEOLOGISM’ is the same name as his debut exhibition in 1989.
NEOLOGISM indicates ‘new interpretations of dogma’ or ‘incomprehensible new words’. In psychiatry, neologism is used to describe a symptom of schizophrenia-the constant act of creating new words which are incomprehensible to others.
Nishimoto says that this absurd activity is very similar to the instinct of the artistic process.

We wish this exhibition will be an opportunity where viewers can examine the message of Nishimoto through his interpretation of the absurd situation of the world in recent years.

In this exhibition, we would like to exhibit a grander scale of installation with over 6 meter-sized artwork and about 10 new works and others. Please take this opportunity to see Nishimoto’s works.

[Artist’s statement]

In the days of COVID-19 started spreading and those sheets to prevent droplet infection, I thought the reflection of those plastic sheets in every receptions and cashers trembled by the people’s movements or air-conditioner’s wind are weirdly beautiful.

This sheet is dividing and protecting us at the same time. It is hard to hear but still possible, blurred but still visible. And these reflected trembling lights appear in between me and others, which I have never seen in daily life before. This phenomenon is happening everywhere. I sensed the new future or true providence in this troublesome absurd scenes of daily life.

The beauty of art must be two sides of the same coin with awe. For the person who has an idea like that, I have never felt these very rich hints from my daily life. Not only feeling this coronavirus crisis but also trying to listen to nature’s pious warnings and there is me wanting to know the meaning of it.

I was creating my work themed solar eclipse until a few years ago. When the sun gets covered by the moon, we are able to see solar corona that normally cannot see. When I saw the real solar eclipse, my legs were shaking because of that silver shining. The word “corona” means “crown” itself. The phenomenon that is not in human’s control but is named by humans, these works appeared in my head which guided by the same name ‘corona’ and moved me forward and became real existences.

NEOLOGISM indicates ‘new interpretations of dogma’ but in psychiatry, neologism is used to describe a symptom of schizophrenia-the constant act of creating new words which are incomprehensible to others. I think this absurd activity is very similar to the instinct of the artistic process.

21714-21743 represents the number of days elapsed from my birth to this exhibition’s period.

Takemi Nishimoto