Yuichi Hirako Selected Works

Yuichi Hirako / Selected Paintings

Lost in Thought 16

Acrylic on Canvas

2015

W194xH162cm

(76.38x63.78inch)

Ref No.P462

Lost in Thought 15

Acrylic on Canvas

2015

W194xH162cm

(76.38x63.78inch)

Ref No.P461

Sleep soundly 6

Acrylic on Canvas

2015

W130xH162cm

(51.18x63.78inch)

Ref No.P460

Full Bloom 2

Acrylic on Canvas

2015

W45.5xH53cm

(17.91x20.87inch)

Ref No.P439

Green Master 35

Acrylic on Canvas

2015

W91xH116.7cm

(35.83x45.94inch)

Ref No.P437

Luminous Plant 8

Acrylic on Canvas

2014

W33.3xH33.3cm

(13.11x13.11inch)

Ref No.P408

Lost in Thought 8

Acrylic on Canvas

2014

W100xH80.3cm

(39.37x31.61inch)

Ref No.P426

Green Master 41

Acrylic on Canvas

2015

W45.5xH53cm

(17.91x20.87inch)

Ref No.P464

Green Master 31

Acrylic on Canvas

2014

W162xH194cm

(63.78x76.38inch)

Ref No.P428

Tree Climbing 5

Acrylic on Canvas

2014

W100xH80.3cm

(39.37x31.61inch)

Ref No.P418

Wooden Sense 24

Acrylic on Canvas

2015

W45.5xH38cm

(17.91x14.96inch)

Ref No.P434

Not Unknown 9Acrylic on Canvas2014W45.5xH53cm(17.91x20.87inch)Ref No.P402

Lost in Thought 5

Acrylic on Canvas

2014

W227.3 xH181.8cm

(89.49x71.57inch)

Ref No. P413

Wooden Sense 19Acrylic on Canvas2014W162xH130cm(63.78x51.18inch)Ref No.P403

Pot 4Acrylic on Canvas 2014145.5x145.5cm(57.28x57.28inch)Ref No.P389

Luminous Plant 2Acrylic on Canvas2014W45.5 x H45.5 cm(17.91 x 17.91 inch)Ref No. P356

Wooden Sense 11Acrylic on Canvas2014W45.5 x H45.5 cm(17.91 x 17.91 inch)Ref No. P365

Lost in Thought 3Acrylic on Canvas 2014W162 x H194cm(63.78x76.38inch)Ref No.P330

Wooden Sense 8Acrylic on Canvas2014W45.5 x H45.5 cm(17.91 x 17.91 inch)Ref No. P363

Tree House 13Acrylic on Canvas2014W33.3xH33.3cm(13.11x13.11inch)Ref No.P399

An Idealist 42014Acrylic on canvasW45.5 x H53 cm(17.9 x 20.8 inch)RefNo.P337

Round Table

Acrylic on Canvas

2012

W162xH130cm

(63.78x51.18inch)

Ref No.P233

Plant People 12

Acrylic on Canvas

2012

W22xH27.3cm

(8.66x10.75inch)

Ref No.P223

Voice

Acrylic on Canvas

2012

W60.6xH72.7cm

(23.86x28.62inch)

Ref No.P165

Tree House 2

Acrylic on Canvas

2012

W130xH150cm

(51.18x59.06inch)

Ref No.P142

Afternoon on the Tree

Acrylic on Canvas

2012

W162xH130cm

(63.78x51.18inch)

Ref No.P141

Our Bridge

Acrylic on Canvas

2012

W130xH162cm

(51.18x63.78inch)

Ref No.P140

Colored Plant 42012 Acrylic on canvasW45.5 x H53 cm(17.9 x 20.8 inch)Ref No.P206

Memories of My Garden / Lake Side

Acrylic on Canvas

W386xH230cm

(151.97x90.55inch)

Ref No.P079

Collections 22012Acrylic on canvasW60.6 x H72.7 cm(23.8 x 28.6 inch)Ref No.P167

Memories of My Garden / Afternoon

Acrylic on Canvas

W190xH200cm

(74.80x78.74inch)

Ref No.P078

Memories of My Garden / Flowerpot in the Room

Acrylic on Canvas

2011

W150xH150cm

(59.06x59.06inch)

Ref No.P077

The Room for Two People

Acrylic on Canvas

W200xH155cm

(78.74x61.02inch)

Ref No.P076

Memories of My Garden / Wooden Hat

Acrylic on Canvas

2010

W31.8xH41cm

(12.52x16.14inch)

Ref No.P049

Yuichi Hirako / Selected Sculptures

Boy 81Mixed Media2015W25xD20xH80cm(9.8x7.9x31.5inch)Ref No.S133



Stumpage 3Mixed Media2014W30xD30xH93cm(11.8x11.8x36.6inch)Ref No.S123


Wooden Tool 1Mixed Media2014W25xD10xH15cm(9.8x3.9x5.9inch)Ref No.S102


Man 12Mixed Media2013W20xD20xH50cm(7.9x7.9x19.7inch)Ref No.S088

Green House 4Mixed Media2013W67xD35xH130cm(26.4x13.8x51.2inch)Ref No.S080





Yuichi Hirako / Selected Drawings

Resin 9Crayon on Paper2013W29.7xH21cm(11.7x8.3inch)Ref No.D101

Resin 7Crayon on Paper2013W29.7xH21cm(11.7x8.3inch)Ref No.D099

Vein 34Ink on Paper2014W29.7xH21cm(11.7x8.3inch)Ref No.D137

Vein 31Ink on Paper2014W29.7xH21cm(11.7x8.3inch)Ref No.D134

Leaf Beetle 13

Acrylic on Paper

2015

W54xH78.8cm

(21.3x31.0inch)

Ref No.D182

Leaf Beetle 10

Acrylic on Paper

2015

W54xH78.8cm

(21.3x31.0inch)

Ref No.D179

Leaf Beetle 1

Acrylic on Paper

2014

W78.8xH54cm

(31.0x21.3inch)

Ref No.D148

Stick 4

Acrylic on Paper

2014

W42xH29.7cm

(16.5x11.7inch)

Ref No. D152

Stick 8

Acrylic on Paper

2014

W42xH29.7cm

(16.5x11.7inch)

Ref No. D156

Stain 25

Pencil on Paper

2014

W29.7xH42cm

(11.7x16.5inch)

Ref No. D168

Stain 28

Pencil on Paper

2014

W29.7xH42cm

(11.7x16.5inch)

Ref No. D171

Stain 29

Pencil on Paper

2014

W29.7xH42cm

(11.7x16.5inch)

Ref No. D172

Yuichi Hirako / Selected Installation Works

Bark Feeder

Acrylic on Canvas

Wood

2015

W1500xH250cm

(590x98inch)

Ref No. I005

Wooden Works 3

2015

Mixed Media

W300 x H200cm

(W118 x H78inch)

Ref No. I004

Wooden Works 2

2015

Mixed Media

W150 x H230cm

(W59 x H90inch)

Ref No. I003

Yuichi Hirako / Selected Photos

Public Garden 1

Digital Print

2015

W841xH594mm

(331.10x233.86inch)

Ref No.P001

ED5 / AP2

Public Garden 2

Digital Print

2015

W841H594mm

(331.10x233.86inch)

Ref No.P002

ED5 / AP2

Yuichi Hirako / Selected Installation View

2014 hpgrp Gallery, Tokyo

2014 hpgrp Gallery, Tokyo

2014 Galleri Christoffer Egelund, Copenhagen




2013 The Drawing Room Gallery Singapore, Singapore

2013 The Drawing Room Gallery Singapore, Singapore

2011 Tokyo Wonder Site, Tokyo

2011 Tokyo Wonder Site, Tokyo

Yuichi Hirako / CV

Yuichi Hirako

1982 Born in Okayama, Japan

2006 B.F.A., Wimbledon College of Art, BA(Hons) Fine Art : PaintingLives and works in Tokyo

[Solo exhibitions]

2015"Bark Feeder" Dai-ichi Life Gallery, Tokyo, Japan2015"Grafted Tree" Waiting Room, Tokyo, Japan2014″Wooden Works″ hpgrp Gallery, Tokyo, Japan2014″The Bark of Mind″ Galleri Christoffer Egelund, Copenhagen, Denmark2013″The Luminous Plant″ Satellite, Okayama, Japan2013"The Forest City" YIRI ARTS Taipai Space, Taipei, Taiwan2013"The Thick Forest" The Drawing Room Singapore, Singapore, Singapore2013"The Leaf Scar" Waiting Room, Tokyo, Japan2012″The Wooden Clapper″ The Drawing Room, Manila, The Philippines2012″Selected Forest″ Satellite, Okayama, Japan2012″Advanced Plants″ WALL/H.P.FRANCE, Tokyo, Japan2012″The Green Pieces″ GALLERY MoMo Ryogoku, Tokyo, Japan2012″Memories of My Garden : Hidden Forest″ INAX Gallery, Tokyo, Japan2012″Memories of My Garden : Mistletoe″ Tokyo Wonder Site Art Cafe kurage, Tokyo, Japan2012″Sleeping in the Pine Forest″ Galleri Christoffer Egelund, Copenhagen, Denmark2011″Yuichi Hirako Art Works″ SATELLITE, Okayama, Japan2011″Memories of My Garden : Song″ Tokyo Wonder Site Hongo, Tokyo, Japan2011″Tokyo Wonder Wall 2011 at Tocho″ Skywalk Exhibition Space at Tokyo Metropolitan Government, Tokyo, Japan2010″Yuichi Hirako : Memories of My Garden″ GALLERY MoMo Ryogoku, Tokyo, Japan

[Group exhibitions]

2015"Egg of Shibuya"Shibuya City Hall, Tokyo, Japan2015"KASAI NO HITO"YIRI ARTS Pier-2 Space, Kaohsiung, Taiwan2015″SUMMERTIME 15″ Galleri Christoffer Egelund, Copenhagen, Denmark2015"HEISEI WAVE 2.0" YIRI ARTS Taipai Space, Taipei, Taiwan2015″Behind the painted smile″ Zerp Galerie, Rotterdam, The Netherlamds2015″Eternal lines″ Zerp Galerie, Rotterdam, The Netherlamds2015″Collections″ Gallery in The Dai-ichi Life Gallery, Tokyo, Japan2014″Salon Zerp″ Zerp Galerie, Rotterdam, The Netherlamds2014″XMAS’14″ Galleri Christoffer Egelund, Copenhagen, Denmark2014"SUMMER GROUP SHOW - FROM NOW ON -" Waiting Room, Tokyo, Japan2014″SUMMERTIME 14″ Galleri Christoffer Egelund, Copenhagen, Denmark2014"11th INUJIMA JIKAN" INUJIMA, Okayama, Japan2014″Collector's EYE ″ Kashiwa Public Gallery, Chiba, Japan2014″Collections″ Gallery in The Dai-ichi Life Insurance Company, Limited, Tokyo, Japan2014"Art Now:Memories of Body" Nagi Museum Of Contemporary, Okayama, Japan2013″XMAS’13″ Galleri Christoffer Egelund, Copenhagen, Denmark2013"Art Now:Memories of Body" Takahashi Historial Museum, Okayama, Japan2013"Art Now:Memories of Body" Tenjinyama Cultural Plaza, Okayama, Japan2013"Considering the Source" Fouladi Projects, San Francisco, USA2013″SUMMERTIME 13″ Galleri Christoffer Egelund, Copenhagen, Denmark2013"Snack JIKKA" JIKKA, Tokyo, Japan2013"GENESIS" Sonnentor Art Space, Taipei, Taiwan2013"PSYCHOTROPICS" The Drawing Room Singapore, Singapore, Singapore2013"VOCA Prize 2013" Ueno Royal Museum, Tokyo, Japan2013″Tokyo Painting II --Mindscape between interior and exterior--″ Tokyo Metropolitan Art Museum, Tokyo, Japan2013″HOTCHPOTCH″ Galleri Christoffer Egelund, Copenhagen, Denmark2012″XMAS’12″ Galleri Christoffer Egelund, Copenhagen, Denmark2012″SUMMERTIME 12″ Galleri Christoffer Egelund, Copenhagen, Denmark2012″Back to the Nature″ Fuma Contemporary Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan2011″Mr,I Prize″ Okayama Tenjinyama Plaza, Okayama, Japan2011″XMAS’11″ Galleri Christoffer Egelund, Copenhagen, Denmark2011″D Art Biennale Art Award 2011″ Y++ Gallery Triwizart, Beijing, China

2011″D Art Biennale″ Daitec, Aichi, Japan2011″Arts Challenge 2011″　Aichi Arts Center, Aichi, Japan2011″Regenerate- Part.1″　GALLERY MoMo Ryogoku, Tokyo, Japan2010″The 10th Gunma Biennale for Young Artists 2010″ The Museum of Modern Art, Gunma, Japan2010″Tokyo Wonder Wall 2010″ Museum of Contemporary Art, Tokyo, Japan2009″Amuse Art Jam 09″ The Museum of Kyoto, Kyoto, Japan2009″Shell Art Award 2009″ Daikanyama Hill Side Forum, Tokyo, Japan2009″TOKYO WONDER SEEDS 2009″ WONDER SITE Sibuya, Tokyo, Japan2008″GEISAI 11″ Tokyo Big Site, Tokyo, Japan2006″Amuse Art Jam 06″ The Museum of Kyoto, Kyoto, Japan2006″Stepsiblings″ Temporary Contemporary, London, UK2005″Cocktail″ Nolia’s Gallery, London, UK2005″Free Range″ G3 Gallery, London, UK2005″’05Degree show,″ Wimbledon School of Art, London, UK

[Other Exhibitions]

2013"Hold the Leaf Apex" B.A.S Window, Okayama, Japan (supported by Fukutake Education and Culture Foundation)2012~2013 Permanent Exhibition, Tokyo Wonder Site Hongo, Tokyo, Japan

[Public Collections]

The Dai-ichi Life Insurance Company, Limited, JapanAkzonovel Art Foundation, The Netherlands

[Awards]

2013"VOCA(Vision of Contemporary Art)" The VOCA Encouragement Prize2011″D Art Biennale″ Outstanding Performance Award2011″Arts Challenge 2011″ Finalist Nominated2010″The 10th Gunma Biennale for Young Artists 2010″ Finalist Nominated2010″Tokyo Wonder Wall 2010″ Tokyo Wonder Wall Prize2009″Shell Art Award 2009″ Finalist Nominated

Artist's comment

Yuichi Hirako, born in 1982 in Okayama Prefecture and now working primarily in Tokyo, has been producing art for which themes include the uncertainty and questions raised by coexistence between humans and the natural world. He intentionally portrays a vague representation of the boundaries between the internal (human society) and the external (the natural world), such as a human with a plant head or the inside of a room filled with overgrowing plants. A situation in which people and man-made objects coexist at the same level with nature could be a utopian world or a chaotic one.

in 2012

We have relationships with green things in various ways. We live together with house plants indoors, or we re-create quasi-forests in gardens or parks longing for the real things. Sometimes our ancestors also gave special meanings to them. In my country Japan, the plants even have been given God-like symbol of worship called “Shinboku.” Although the green things live so close to us, sharing our living spaces, we might not be as conscious of the fact that they share the habitat with us. We do not share a bed with the plants nor we directly communicate with them as we might do with other living beings that also coexist with us. Despite the plants’ close presence, somewhere there is a definite dividing line between us humans and the plants in the physical world. The forests have been associated with both the place of sacredness and the habitat for the devils. They have been the uncivilized, barbaric objects of hate in Christianity and the holy presence in the Animism sense in my country Japan although these associations might not be so common today. Either way, these associations have something to do with the supernatural, something beyond human understanding. If the plants are the children of the forests, they might really be the incarnations and more easily accessible versions of spirits, the Divine, or the Devil. Since plants are so unconsciously part of our daily life in our modern society, I see a lot of instances where the relationship between the plants and us humans is very ambiguous. The ambiguity stirs up my imaginations and imageries of various rich contexts between the human beings and the plants, and it inspires my works a great deal.

in 2014

What do you feel if you close your eyes and touch the rough, moist bark of a living tree? A part of great nature, the strength and warmth of life, fear of the the conflict among living things, something that makes you feel the holiness of existence. The feelings that well up are not simple, and vary from person to person.

In my works, plants and nature are intertwined and treated the same as humans and man-made objects. This is not to say that I am creating my utopia in my works. I am searching for the root of the feelings and attitudes that I, myself, and society hold toward plants and nature.

From Solo exhibition "Bark Feeder" 2015

“Bark Feeder” is the title of the exhibition. When animals do not have enough food during the winter, they are forced to eat tree bark. This is a necessary behavior so that the organisms may live on. Do we humans need to continue our relationship with plants and nature in order to live on?When I decided to hold this exhibition I reconsidered my concept, and discovered one thing that may be crucial. It is the idea that many of the ways we deal with plants and nature reflect our behavior toward others in human society. Perhaps we use docile plants to measure the depth of our own mercy and cruelty. It possible that we behave toward plants in ways that we hesitate to with animals, such as cats and dogs, or in human society. For instance, we cannot simply decide to live with someone, or alternatively kick them out, but we have no problem doing the same with plants. It is easy to neglect responsibility for a plant’s survival. That said, we are able to become the guardians of nature as well as the destroyers.In order to understand ourselves we may need to interact with plants and nature.

This time I tried working in a new style. I enjoy artwork painted on a typical canvas, and will continue doing it that way, but I feel that on the canvas there is a limitation of expression. Although the square-cut area of the canvas provides a simple display for viewers, and artists are able to approach the work with a specific sense of distance, it was an inadequate means of expressing my purpose for this piece. While I think that we possess two very opposite feelings of longing and unease toward nature, I feel that in recent years the feeling of unease is stronger than that of longing. By contemplating the method of expressing this uncertain and complicated feeling, I have decided to use this new style. I hope that this hanging, flat plane, fluttering in a gentle breeze from the air conditioning, will touch the hearts of observers.Seven illustrations show the relationship between plants and nature, and the contrasting humans and human society. Additionally, the object hung in front represents a piece of nature that has lost its original appearance, transformed by human hand into something else.

Documents

Yuichi Hirako Selected Works