Continuing through October 29, 2016
Jun Kaneko’s “Mirage” appears to be just that, images so impossible and arresting that we stop to take it all in. One of the most visually pleasurable and immersive exhibitions I’ve seen recently, Kaneko’s large-scale works are astonishing in their complexity. This represents the first local solo exhibition of both painting and sculpture by the Japanese-born, Southern California-based artist, who is well-known for his acceptance of visual challenges in both his paintings and ceramic works.
The large scale “Mirage” consists of nine acrylic on canvas works displayed in one continuous, sinuous curve. A site-specific installation, this piece covers 63-feet with the arrangement of 7-foot tall paintings. As we walk into the gallery’s long display space, the immediate impact of the color is powerful, a world based on a vivid palette of reds, oranges, yellows and golds, with colors deepening toward the reds as the installation proceeds. Also featured are black and white ceramic sculptures. One piece, “Untitled, Dango” towers alongside “Mirage,” the juxtaposition creating the feeling of a monolith from an ancient culture. Smaller ceramic works, still powerful given the diminished scale, are also on display.
Published Courtesy of ArtSceneCal ©2016
