Touching Stone Japanese pottery, ceramics, & sumi-e Gallery

Hiroki Murata
Seeing Beyond
June 1 - 27, 2012
Artist reception June 1, 5-7 p.m.

Hiroki Murata Sumi-e Exhibition 2012

Seeing Beyond - Extraordinary Sumi-e by Hiroki Murata

At first glance, the paintings of Tokyo artist Hiroki Murata resemble contemporary wood-block prints or abstract black-and-white photographs. In fact, his unique style evolved from two distinct Asian art forms - Nihon-Ga (Japanese painting) and sumi-e (Oriental ink painting). Murata (b. 1968) studied at the prestigious Tokyo National University of Fine Arts and Music under the late Ikuo Hirayama, one of the greatest Nihon-ga masters. Murata’s early works capture the energy of the large metropolis, using vibrant colors juxtaposed against an orderly and simple overall design. Sophistication, subtlety and meticulosity are a notable hallmark of Murata’s paintings, reflecting the artist’s long disciplined Nihon-Ga training.

In 2001, Murata traveled to Santa Fe, New Mexico to paint. It turned out to be a pivotal experience for the artist. The setting of Santa Fe couldn’t be more different from Tokyo. Wandering among its side streets and surrounding country, Murata was struck by the simple beauty of the city and the austerity of the land. Most of all, he was drawn to the quiet luminosity of the light that permeate the landscape. He wanted to paint not just what he saw, but more importantly, how he felt.

Upon returning to Japan, Murata decided to minimize distractions in his paintings in order to focus attention to the feelings within. He eliminated colors and settled on using a rich warm-toned black ink. Drawing on sumi-e and Nihon-ga techniques, he created a revolutionary and evocative style. Among the early works of this style were a series of extraordinary paintings entitled the White Sands Suite, which captured the feelings of his travels in the deserts of the American Southwest.

This new medium requires different approaches and techniques. When sumi ink penetrates into paper, it permanently occupies the spaces between paper fibers. Once absorbed, it cannot be displaced or diluted by adding more water. This characteristic of sumi-e is very different from that of oil painting, where layers of pigments can be added to cover previous brush strokes. In this regard, painting with sumi ink is somewhat analogous to dyeing fabrics. In his latest works, Murata incorporated lithographic and wood-block printing techniques into traditional sumi-e and Nihon-ga methods.

For an artist, inspiration is even more important than technical expertise. The current body of paintings were inspired by a trip to his home town in Nagano prefecture in late November. He visited Mishaka-Ike, a beautiful pond made famous in a mystic painting ‘Green Echo’ by the late Nihon-ga master Kaii Higashiyama. In that late afternoon, the fading sunlight filtering through the towering cedars danced upon the thin ice crystallizing on the calm water. Murata stood there, mesmerized. At that rare moment, he was no longer just a spectator, his saw not just the forms of the land but its soul. He became the landscape.

Click on the images to view selected paintings.

Inquiry/order: director@touchingstone.com, see Inquiry/Order

Hiroki Murata

Afterimage No.1

Sumi-e on Japanese paper, wood frame 21.5" x 25.5"

Hiroki Murata

Afterimage No.2

Sumi-e on Japanese paper, wood frame 21.5" x 25.5"

Hiroki Murata

Afterimage No.3

Sumi-e on Japanese paper, wood frame 21.5" x 25.5"

Hiroki Murata

Ice No.1

Sumi-e on Japanese paper, wood frame 21.5" x 25.5"

Hiroki Murata

Ice No.2

Sumi-e on Japanese paper, wood frame 21.5" x 25.5"

Hiroki Murata

Ice No.3

Sumi-e on Japanese paper, wood frame 21.5" x 25.5"

Hiroki Murata

Falling No.1

Sumi-e on Japanese paper, wood frame 25.5" x 21.5"

Sold

Hiroki Murata

Falling No.2

Sumi-e on Japanese paper, wood frame 25.5" x 21.5"

Sold

Hiroki Murata

Falling No.3

Sumi-e on Japanese paper, wood frame 25.5" x 21.5"

Sold

Hiroki Murata

Rising No.1

Sumi-e on Japanese paper, wood frame 21.5" x 25.5"

Hiroki Murata

Rising No.2

Sumi-e on Japanese paper, wood frame 21.5" x 25.5"

Hiroki Murata

Floating No.1

Sumi-e on Japanese paper, wood frame 25.5" x 21.5"

Hiroki Murata

Floating No.2

Sumi-e on Japanese paper, wood frame 21.5" x 25.5"

Hiroki Murata

Reflection No.1

Sumi-e on Japanese paper, wood frame 21.5" x 25.5"

Hiroki Murata

Reflection No.2

Sumi-e on Japanese paper, wood frame 21.5" x 25.5"

Exhibitions
1992. Group exhibition, SEIBU Gallery, Sangenjyaya, Tokyo
1993 Graduation exhibition, Tokyo National Univ. of Fine Arts & Music
1994 Solo exhibition, Dowakasai Gallery, Kayabatyou, Tokyo
1996 Sankeien Grand Prize Exhibition of Japanese Painting, Sankeien Museum, Honmoku, Yokohama
1997 Solo exhibition, Gallery Miro, Kannai, Yokohama
1998 Sankeien Grand Prize Exhibition of Japanese Paintings, Sankeien Museum, Honmoku, Yokohama
1999 The 54th Spring Exhibition of the Japan Art Institute, Nihonbashi Mitsukoshi, Tokyo
2000 Sankeien Grand Prize Exhibition of Japanese Paintings, Sankeien Museum, Honmoku, Yokohama
2002 Solo exhibition, Gallery Mohri, Ginza, Tokyo
        Solo exhibition, Sanbido Gallery “Shiki”, Snajyo, Kyoto
2003 Solo exhibition, Touching Stone Gallery, Santa Fe, USA
2004 Two-person exhibition, Touching Stone Gallery, Santa Fe, USA
2005 Two-person exhibition, Touching Stone Gallery, Santa Fe, USA
2006 Solo exhibition, Gallery Hashida, Suwa, Nagano
2007 Solo exhibition, Inoue Department Store Gallery, Matsumoto, Nagano
2008 Solo exhibition, Mitsukoshi Art Gallery, Ikebukuro, Tokyo
        Solo exhibition, Matsuzakaya Art Salon, Ueno, Tokyo
2009 Solo exhibition, Gallery Hashida, Suwa, Nagano
2010 Solo exhibition, Keiyo Bank Artforum, Chiba
        Solo exhibition, Matsuzakaya Art Salon, Ueno, Tokyo
2011 Two-person exhibition, Shinshu-Takato Art Museum, Ina, Nagano
        Solo exhibition, Gallery Hashida, Suwa, Nagano
2012 Two-person exhibition, Bell Shine Art Hall, Ina, Nagano
        Solo Exhibition, Touching Stone Gallery, Santa Fe, USA