SHU SAITO EXHIBITION “A VIEW FROM YESTERDAY”

HAPPENINGText: Satsuki Miyanishi

“Now” is on top of the continuum of the past.

The colorful installations welcome us in the entrance, lobby, lounge, and guest rooms at the hotel. Each works depicted by soft colors seem to remind us nostalgic landscape, the sound of the wind and even the smells. Various landscapes in our dull memories… Here are the scenery of everyday life. Things that expressed in these works are not special, unusual things, but the familiar things around us.

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The solo exhibition “A View from Yesterday” by Shu Saito will be held at Cross Hotel Sapporo from April 1st. Besides creating his works based in Sapporo, he is also involved in the field of art education. After one year this exhibition will show about 20 of his latest artworks including his new works.

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Since its opening in 2007, Cross Hotel Sapporo has been giving a series of art exhibition of the “ART X (cross)”. From 2011, the ART X will feature the Hokkaido-based artists in collaboration with SHIFT.

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The exhibition also consists of the Machinaka Art Project, which aims to fill the city with art and to create friendly environment for people to familiarize themselves with the art, with the participation of some galleries, artists and shops. This exhibition will be the seventh edition of “ART X” curated by Clark Gallery + SHIFT.

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Saito picks up a small notice in the repetition of the every day life, incidents of trivial moments, and creation of a space to connect with people and their feelings through his work as a medium by reconfiguring the colors and shapes. Addition to artworks in the walls of reception, lounge, installation fitted on white concave-convex design wall, and small painting works that have each different expression in the shelf in the lobby, are showcased in the hotel. His installations which focus on the relation with the space, like reconstruction of painting, is just one of his features. Even the pattern of small works in the entrance seemed to blend with the hotel and add coloring.

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The artist said about the title “A View from Yesterday”, “Sometimes I observe place where I am, things that I do and the relation with other people from points of view of yesterday, then confirm “today” by myself”. Not just me, I express the feeling itself that “Now” is on top of the continuum of the past, using color and shape looks like a kind of scenery.” Brick-like walls, and unique walls of deep color are changed Shu Saito’s world with the soft colors of his works. This exhibition bring a new discovery for him because he has thought that his works are suit only white walls so far.

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Using the hotel’s space effectively, the exhibition shows the most numerous works this time and also the works exhibited in the guest rooms. Those guests who are staying in those rooms, where the “A View from Yesterday” paintings are exhibited, can get an original letter set for free which is typically sold in the hotel. It is true that there are many loyal guests and they can use the hotel many times, and it is a good idea to make them feel special by giving these letter sets with Saito’s artwork and encourage them to write.

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Using colorful scheme like the gentle spring sunlight, the painting looks like peaceful scenery. In contrast with it, his works contain a different kind of narrative with each title associated various things. Enjoy the world by Shu Saito with spring feeling in this season.

Shu Saito Exhibition “A View from Yesterday”
Date: April 1st – May 31st, 2013
Place: Cross Hotel Sapporo
Address: North 2 West 2, Chuo-ku, Sapporo
Organized by Cross Hotel Sapporo
Curated by Clark Gallery+SHIFT
Collaboration: Machinaka Art, Shobunsya
Tel: +81 11 272 0051 (Planning department)
http://crossmet.jp/sapporo/

Text: Satsuki Miyanishi
Photos: Courtesy of Clark Gallery + SHIFT

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