Gravity and Grace by Shinji Ohmaki

Shinji Ohmaki’s ingenious art often arouses reflection on philosophical issues of immediate concern via touching visual experience. In his latest solo exhibition “Gravity and Grace,” the artist focuses on the relationship between human civilization and the nature, revealing floating images with rich meanings dancing in light and shadow to open up an endless conversation with the time.

Being an artist, Shinji Ohmaki has always kept social responsibility of human communication in mind. “Gravity and Grace” is about the redefinition of being and reconnection with consciousness. While endeavors to bring about joyful and inspiring experience, Ohmaki also innovates and experiments with materials and expression methods without stint to realize his abundant creativity. Continued from his large-scale installation shown in Aichi Triennale 2016, Gravity and Grace, the artist has created a more compacted installation work for this exhibition. The exhibition is completed with sculptures, prints and photogram, forming a journey to liberate perception and awakening. The exhibition title “Gravity and Grace” is cited from the 20th century French philosopher Simone Weil’s book, La Pesanteur et la grace. Here, Ohmaki evokes reflection on the unique gifts granted to human being as well as the accompanying power and responsibility.

Born in 1971, Shinji Ohmaki is an artist who represents the latest wave of Japanese art scene. He has gained his reputation through the vibrant play of space and materials. The artist specializes in blending his practice with characteristic design on architectural settings, which blurs physical borders and inject personal interpretation and philosophy of relationship between time and space. Ohmaki has participated in various international exhibitions, art festivals and events. His work has been included in many institutional collections around the world.