YOHEI IMAMURA

Artist bio

two peaks
July 8 - August 6, 2023
Opening Reception: July 8, 5-7pm

KAYOKOYUKI is pleased to announce Yohei Imamura's third solo exhibition, two peaks. This exhibition will mark the first unveiling of the works in Japan: "dots 2020-2021" and "two peaks 2022," which were recently exhibited at The Kochi-Muziris Biennale 2022 in India.

Yohei Imamura has consistently created sculptural works using the technique of silk-screen printing. Silk-screen printing is a method commonly used in printmaking, where various images and patterns can be printed by pushing ink through the mesh holes of a screen. The ink that passes through the holes of the screen forms a layer with a thickness of less than 0.01 millimeters on the plate. By layering this extremely thin ink layer hundreds or thousands of times, Imamura creates intricate geometric patterns and shapes that resemble mountain ranges.

Imamura's unique artistic process not only shapes the complex structures of his finished works but also has a significant impact on the process itself. The design blueprints and logs documenting the number and placement of screens, types and colors of ink, and layering details reveal the artist's experimentation and learning process. Furthermore, since it takes anywhere from six months to over a year to complete a piece, meticulous arrangements are made for the artist's smooth workflow, considering his own body. Details such as the placement of the worktable for placing the silk screens, the shelves for storing and retrieving the artworks, and even the support structure of the artworks are carefully designed. Moreover, every action associated with the artistic process, from the rhythmic printing of the screens, the steps taken while moving between the worktable and shelves, the process of cleaning the leftover ink from the screens, to the subtle gesture of adjusting glasses, is repeated with utmost precision, as if it were a seamless ritual.

The exhibition title, "Two Peaks", refers to a new technique that employs two types of screens. Each screen has holes slightly shifted from one another, and one screen is used exclusively for black ink, while the other screen is used for various colored inks, alternatingly printed. This method creates stacked layers of ink that offer completely different impressions depending on the viewing angle. We invite you to witness Yōhei Imamura's new exploration in this exhibition.

Yohei Imamura was born in 1979 in Fukuoka, Japan, and currently lives and works in Kanagawa. He received his M.F.A. from Tokyo Zokei University, Tokyo.
Yohei has presented his work in: "The Kochi-Muziris Biennale 2022" at Kochi, India, 2022; solo show "peak 3601" at KAYOKOYUKI, Tokyo, 2019; "Aichi Triennale 2019 -Taming Y/Our Passion" at Aichi, 2019; "The universe consists of dots and lines" at Fujisawa City Art Space, Kanagawa, 2019; "CSP2" at Kuwasawa Design School, Tokyo, 2014; "Marsupials" curated by Taro Izumi at TALION GALLERY, Tokyo, 2012; "camaboco" at Tokyo Zokei University, Tokyo, 2010; and "Draw print book" at esplanade, Singapore, 2008.