Siegfried Contemporary is delighted to open it’s first post lockdown London exhibition "FUNKA" with works by Takuro Kuwata and Brice Guilbert.
The title FUNKA is the Japanese word for “eruption” and it symbolizes here the outburst of a new consciousness stemming from our collective experience of the past year, with a hint to the subject matter and processes employed by Guilbert and Kuwata.
The pairing of these two artists, with their energetic and vibrant vocabulary, represents our statement of positivity, of new beginnings and a symbol for a stronger network of connections between us and nature.
In other words: we hope that this burst of colour and shapes will bring you joy and might be one happy step towards embracing our changed world.
In his volcano paintings Brice Guilbert references his Creole roots and upbringing in Reunion Island, off the southern coast of Africa.
The volcano motif repeated in these works is sculpted by use of a unique process involving heated wax and oil paints. The rigorously crafted surfaces imbue a certain sense of sensuality and laboured intensity. Akin to viewing a box of jewels, the luminous and densely multi-layered surfaces encourage enjoyment from multiple points of observation, changing greatly depending on the position of the viewer. The subtle details and color shifts only expand in richness and fullness when the nuanced compositions are studied more at length and at alternate depths.
Takuro Kuwata expands the possibilities and pushes the boundaries of ceramic art by taking on traditional Japanese ceramic techniques such as ‘kairagi’ and ‘ishihaze,’. Kuwata’s studio is situated at the heart of Japanese ceramic artistry in the Mino region of Gifu Prefecture, which retains techniques dating back to feudal Japan. Inheriting the traditional tea-ceremony aesthetic of ‘wabi-sabi,’ his creations celebrate imperfect beauty and natural forms while being firmly rooted within a contemporary discourse. Through dialogue with the environment, history, nature, and time, Kuwata fuses together tradition and modernity, bringing into existence provocative works of art.
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Brice Guilbert (b. 1979, France) has shown in multiple exhibitions throughout Europe. Guilbert has mounted solo shows in Brussels, Berlin, and Grenoble and has shown in group shows in New York, Bucharest, Ghent, and beyond. In addition to his painting practice, Guilbert co-founded Island in Brussels, and has published two books. His Creole songs and performances are highly regarded for their poetic and harmonious nature.
Takuro Kuwata was born in Hiroshima Prefecture, Japan in 1981, and is currently based in Gifu, Japan. Following his graduation from Kyoto Saga University of Arts in 2001, in 2002 he began studying under ceramic artist Susumu Zaima. In 2007, he graduated from the Tajimi City Pottery Design and Technical Center. His works have been exhibited globally in cities such as Brussels, London, and New York, and he was a finalist for the LOEWE Craft Prize 2018. Kuwata’s works have been acquired by various international public collections including the Metropolitan Museum of Art NY, Rakusutei Museum of Art,Toyama Japan, the Rubell Family Collection, the Palm Springs Museum, the Boca Raton Museum of Art, the 21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art, Kanazawa, and the University of Michigan Museum of Art.
