IZUMI Keiji

IZUMI Keiji Solo Show: Today we take a different path from what we did Yesterday

2023.May.20 — June.25

Hiro Hiro Art Space is delighted to present IZUMI Keiji’s solo exhibition, “Today we take a different path from what we did Yesterday,” which showcases the variation of sculptural formations and IZUMI Keiji’s explorations in creative constructions. Through the conversion of forms and the flow of imagery, IZUMI Keiji incorporates his observations of life and humanity into his art, constructing usual yet unusual, humorous, and whimsical sculptures.

IZUMI Keiji
《Go to Mountain》
2023
h.46 x w.52 x d.16cm
wood (camphor), colored pencil, acrylic, stainless steel

IZUMI Keiji(b. 1973), majoring in Sculpture at Tokyo Zokei University, has been continuously endeavoring to embody his interest in human beings through his woodcarvings since he began his career as a sculptor. The emotions of the people around him, their physical features, behaviors, and their relationship with each other and the environment have all triggered his keen perception and association. In his earlier works, he combined figures with elements from nature, such as mountains, waterfalls, rainbows, and everyday objects like light bulbs, televisions, and kettles, resulting in imaginative and narrative works that fully demonstrate IZUMI’s sensitivity to life and rich imagination towards the human.

In recent years, IZUMI Keiji has further expanded the possibilities of his sculptural expression to incorporate not only elements of nature and everyday objects but also the usage of geometric shapes and highly saturated colors. This concept has emerged from his observations of simple forms and geometric shapes in daily life, which he perceives can be configured and converted to visualize his mind and sensation in his sculptures.

IZUMI Keiji’s recent works embrace abstraction and geometric forms, but this does not mean that his works are no longer related to nature. On the contrary, he subtly integrates natural elements into his recent sculptures. In his work “Today we take a different path from what we did Yesterday”, the light blue color represents the clear sky under the morning sun, and the joined-up circles symbolize each choice and action made. The daily dawn seems to give us an opportunity to choose our life path again, and “Today we take a different path from what we did Yesterday” is also IZUMI Keiji’s self-expectation in seeking the fusion of forms and exploring the possibilities of creation. The imagery of colors and images, and the transformation between dynamic/static, tangible/intangible, and figurative/abstract forms, bring a sense of expansion and visual tension into his works.

The starting point and boundaries of imagination can never be precisely pinpointed, but in IZUMI Keiji’s works, the viewers can feel his exploration and inventiveness in shapes, experiences, and perceptions, as well as his profound reflections on life and existence. Through the form of sculpture, the works lead the viewers into a world full of whimsy and inspiration.

Press

VINTAGE/May, 2023

About Artist

IZUMI Keiji was born in Fukushima, Japan in 1973 and graduated from Tokyo Zokei University majoring in Sculpture. He has been continuously embodying his interest in human beings through his woodcarvings since he began his career as a sculptor. He combines figures with elements from nature and geometric shapes, constructing daily yet extraordinary, humorous, and whimsical forms. His works are collected by the National Museum of Art in Osaka, Japan, and the Nasunogahara Museum in Tochigi, Japan.

Works