March 10, 2017

Contemplative Artworks by Yoshio Ikezaki Embody Japanese Aesthetic Philosophies, Illuminate Nature's Profound Power and Vulnerability

YOSHIO IKEZAKI: ELEMENTS

Opens March 17 and continues through May 28, 2017 at ArtCenter College of Design’s Williamson Gallery

YOSHIO IKEZAKI: ELEMENTS, curated by Jacki Apple, features a survey of selected works by the artist, Yoshio Ikezaki, consisting of sumi ink and watercolor paintings, handmade layered washi paper sculptures and cast metal sculpture installations by the internationally exhibited Japanese artist and educator.

The exhibition opens March 17, 2017 at ArtCenter College of Design’s Alyce de Roulet Williamson Gallery in Pasadena and continues through May 28, 2017. An opening reception on Thursday, March 16, from 7 to 9 p.m. will be preceded from 6 to 7 p.m. by a conversation with Ikezaki, curator Jacki Apple and ArtCenter Professor Ramone Muñoz. Brad Dutz and Kaoru Mansour of the band Acre Foot, with Chris Votek, will perform live alternative music during the reception. The events are free and open to the public. Please use this link in your coverage: http://www.artcenter.edu/connect/events/yoshio-ikezaki-elements.html

YOSHIO IKEZAKI: ELEMENTS is organized around a dialog between materials and images that exemplify four essential elements and their ongoing states of process: Fire/Earth (Hi/Taichi), Water/Air (Mizu/Kuki), Mind Essence/Beingness (Ki), Matter Energy/ Impermanence (Ku). The exhibition is accompanied by a 64-page catalog.

Ikezaki’s works are “the embodiment of Yūgen, a Japanese word pertaining to a profound awareness of the universe which evokes feelings that are inexplicably deep, too mysterious for words, simultaneously subtle and profound,” writes Apple. “Unifying ‘the life of the mind’ with a deeply intuitive physical engagement with material processes, Ikezaki’s paintings and sculptures are grounded in Japanese esthetic principles and philosophies, crafts and materials, interpreted in a contemporary context. His works express the profound power and vulnerability of nature in its relationship to humanity, thus illuminating the deeper meaning of the contemporary global environmental crisis.” Curator Apple's exhibition concept and installation design express those esthetics principles.

“Silence does not have the same meaning as nothingness. Emptiness and nothingness leads me to think about ‘silence.’ A silence is an expression, the most effective method of depicting inner dimensions of thoughts. Silence related matters designate simplicity, condensation, and articulation of essence matters in non-living and living things. Those things must have energy and spirit. These concerns relate to my way of sumi ink painting.” — Yoshio Ikezaki

YOSHIO IKEZAKI: ELEMENTS is made possible by a major gift from Dr. Frank Ellsworth; a grant from the Pasadena Art Alliance; a grant from The Japan Foundation and the generosity of the Williamson Gallery Patrons.

ArtCenter College of Design’s Alyce de Roulet Williamson Gallery is located at 1700 Lida Street in Pasadena. For more information, contact williamson.gallery@artcenter.edu or, call 626 396-2397.

Williamson Gallery Hours:
12 to 5 p.m., Tuesday through Sunday
12 to 9 p.m., Friday
Closed Mondays and holidays
For directions to the gallery, visit williamsongallery.net/directions

Social Media:
@artcenteredu
#yoshioikezaki

About the Alyce De Roulet Williamson Gallery: The Alyce de Roulet Williamson Gallery at ArtCenter has established a broad reputation for exploring the intersection of science and art. Through a two-decade series of programs and exhibitions, it has contributed to the emergence of an international movement among universities, journals, conferences, artistic studio practices, and design strategies that promotes an intensified collaboration between the humanities and sciences.

About ArtCenter: Founded in 1930 and located in Pasadena, California, ArtCenter College of Design is a global leader in art and design education. ArtCenter offers 11 undergraduate and seven graduate degrees in a wide variety of industrial design disciplines as well as visual and applied arts. In addition to its top-ranked academic programs, the College also serves members of the Greater Los Angeles region through a highly regarded series of year-round educational programs for all ages and levels of experience. Renowned for both its ties to industry and its social impact initiatives, ArtCenter is the first design school to receive the United Nations’ Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) status. Throughout the College’s long and storied history, ArtCenter alumni have had a profound impact on popular culture, the way we live and important issues in our society.

Contact:
Teri Bond
Media Relations Director
ArtCenter College of Design
teri.bond@artcenter.edu
O 626 396-2385
M 310 738-2077