hiroshige fukuhara's black sculpture and drawing series

hiroshige fukuhara
‘the generation (fish)’, 2012
390 x 370 x 480 mm (15.4 x 14.5 x 18.9 inch)
resin, black gesso, teakwood
image © hiroshige fukuhara, courtesy ai kowada gallery

contemporary japanese artist hiroshige fukuhara‘s craftsmanship and cultural influence is evident in his series of sculptures and drawings. the hand-carved teakwood statues, coated in black gesso and resin, fuse classic japanese elements with a modern approach — in one, a horse becomes tangled in leaves, and in another a koi fish is camouflaged beneath an abundant array of flora. the glossy pieces contrast his drawings, which employ very simple media, pencil and canvas.

fukuhara draws directly on the material, covering it from end to end, without making any drafts or prior compositions. the result is intricately hand-rendered traditional japanese art motifs on black painted panels. the scattered and interwoven elements are typical to fukuhara’s creative approach. the low-contrast pieces reveal an image that is barely visible, rendering various perceptions. depending on the environment — such as distance to the canvas or lighting. the viewer is called on to change their position and angle, finding a space in which the drawings can best be seen.

the video below gives insight into fukuhara’s creative process, showing the real-time creation of one of his drawings:

drawing 003 :: hiroshige fukuhara
video courtesy of hiroshige fukuhara

‘the generation (mare)’, 2012
300 x 400 x 140mm (11.8 x 15.7 x 5.5 inch)
resin, black gesso, teakwood
image © hiroshige fukuhara, courtesy ai kowada gallery

‘the night (flower)’, 2012
570 x 480 mm (22.5 x 18.8 inch)
pencil, black gesso on wooden panel
image © hiroshige fukuhara, courtesy ai kowada gallery

‘the night (cascade)’, 2012
570 x 490 mm (22.5 x 19.3 inch)
pencil, black gesso on wooden panel
image © hiroshige fukuhara, courtesy ai kowada gallery