Solo Exhibition：”Undercover Painter: Becoming and Depicting the Japanese Business Man”
Dear all,
I will be opening my first solo exhibition in Tokyo this June!
Please feel welcome to come!
From 2020 to 2022 I spent some time learning traditional Japanese Painting (Nihonga) techniques at an art school called Bigakkō, in Jimbōchō district, Tokyo. Many thanks to them as they are hosting my show at their gallery space, Bigakkō studio (see below for details).
In this exhibition I will be showing works ranging from my first salary man oil paintings, to new unpublished Nihonga works from this year, and also numerous unseen drawings from my work Journal.
The exhibition title is “Undercover Painter”.
For the past 4 years I have been painting scenes from the world of the Japanese business man (AKA salaryman), which are inspired by my real experience of becoming a salaryman at a Japanese company in Tokyo.
This exhibition title is my current name for this kind of art making, in which I the artist am both part and piece of the salaryman world, but also engaging in a form of reportage by painting depictions of it. This sometimes feels almost like an undercover operation.
My creative process whilst painting the salaryman series involves taking notes and photographs based on my experiences as a Japanese businessman, and creating sketches of people and places from memory, or based on imagination. Recently I have also started sketching from life in my work journal, which provides me the opportunity to subconsciously understand and appreciate the shapes of different elements of the landscape, and the way they change and interact with each other.
During this process I often feel jumpy, and have to reflect on my salaryman experiences, re-assess my position, and change my tack, as if I really was undercover.
I hope that through peering into the landscapes of Japanese business via my paintings and drawings, you will also feel a sense of seeing from undercover yourself, and open a door for you to reflect on your experiences too.
Entry is free, looking forward to seeing you there!
Exhibition Dates (2024)
June 14（Fri）10:00〜20:00
June 15（Sat）10:00〜20:00
June 16（Sun）10:00〜20:00
June 17（Mon）10:00〜20:00
June 18（Tues）10:00〜17:00
※Please note that closing is early on the final day!
Bigakkō Official Web Page: https://bigakko.jp/news/2024/stefanbalanescu_exhibition
Location: Bigakkō Studio Tokyo, Chiyoda City, Nishikanda, 2 Chome 〒101-0065
