Rest in Silver

11 September - 5 October 2024

(Larger version of this image opens in a popup).

(Larger version of this image opens in a popup).

(Larger version of this image opens in a popup).

(Larger version of this image opens in a popup).

(Larger version of this image opens in a popup).

(Larger version of this image opens in a popup).

Masayoshi Nojo, Mirage #106, 2024
JD Malat Gallery is delighted to announce their second solo exhibition "Rest in Silver" featuring the works of renowned Japanese artist Masayoshi Nojo.
Mirage #104, 2024, Cotton on panel, acrylic, silver foil, aluminium foil, 43 1/4 x 59 x 2 in, 110 x 150 x 5 cm

Masayoshi Nojo

Born in 1989 in Kanagawa, Japan, Masayoshi Nojo completed his MA in Japanese Paintings in 2015 at the Kyoto University of Art and Design. Nojo's innovative and complex techniques blend contemporary visual languages with traditional Japanese aesthetics, deeply exploring themes of memory and the passage of time.
Mirage #105, 2024, Cotton on panel, acrylic, silver foil, aluminium foil, 39 3/8 x 31 1/2 x 1 1/8 in, 100 x 80 x 3 cm

Nojo's Oeuvre

Rooted in Japanese art history, Nojo’s work prominently features silver – a medium that evokes the ethereal and shimmering qualities reminiscent of Ogata Kōrin’s celebrated works from the Edo Period. Kōrin’s marbled silver rivers, often depicted on byōbu folding screens, symbolized the flow of time through the changing colour of the metal due to oxidation.
Flicker, 2023 Acrylic board on panel, transparent film, acrylic paint, aluminum foil. 50 3/8 x 23 1/4 x 6 3/4 in 128 x 59.1 x 17 cm (each panel)

Flicker

Nojo’s Flicker series, part of the upcoming exhibition, will focus on the shifting color tones of landscapes. The process mirrors that of the "Mirage" series, but the images become three-dimensional when mounted, creating folds that conceal the foil and emphasize the background colors. These works depict the changing tones from morning to night, symbolizing the passage of time from left to right.
Mirage #102, 2024, Cotton on panel, acrylic, silver foil, aluminium foil, 66 7/8 x 59 in, 170 x 150 cm

Mirage

In his latest series, "Mirage," Nojo conjures a sense of déjà vu, evoking memories that feel tantalizingly close yet just out of reach. Nojo’s creative process is meticulous and layered. He begins by preparing the canvas with a marbled layer of acrylic paint, reminiscent of Kōrin’s "Red and White Plum Blossoms." Following this, he photographs and adjusts each image before transferring it to the canvas via silk screening, allowing the marbled layer beneath to shine through and create a contemporary twist. Finally, he applies layers of aluminum and silver foil, symbolically recreating a sense of intangible distant memories.
Mirage #106, 2024, Cotton on panel, acrylic, silver foil, aluminium foil, 39 3/8 x 31 1/2 x 1 1/8 in, 100 x 80 x 3 cm

Natural Serenity

Masayoshi Nojo's work is deeply influenced by natural phenomena and the incorporation of uncontrollable elements. Drawing inspiration from Japan's rich natural landscapes, such as the serene Meiji Shrine in Tokyo, Nojo’s art is a reflection on how humans should live in harmony with nature.
Mirage #103, 2024 Cotton on panel, acrylic, silver foil, aluminum foil, 110 x 230 cm

A Scene in Memory

Masayoshi Nojo's use of personal memory, combined with aluminium and silver foil, creates an atmospheric serenity when encountered by the viewer. The natural landscapes Nojo incorporates into his work evoke a collective memory, depicting natural formations that reinforce a sense of familiarity. In Mirage #103, silver trees tower over a dense forest bed that stretches deep into the canvas, artistically utilising depth and texture to represent the vastness and beauty synonymous with nature. In doing so, Nojo immerses his audience in abstract scenes that exist within their own unique, dreamlike boundaries.
(Larger version of this image opens in a popup).

(Larger version of this image opens in a popup).

(Larger version of this image opens in a popup).

(Larger version of this image opens in a popup).

(Larger version of this image opens in a popup).

(Larger version of this image opens in a popup).

(Larger version of this image opens in a popup).

(Larger version of this image opens in a popup).

Masayoshi Nojo, Link #6, 2023