NYAB Event - Reiko Nishi Exhibition

Reiko Nishi Exhibition

Caelum Gallery

This event has ended.

Japan’s first connection with the advanced arts of the West was during the 1920’s and ‘30’s when artists journeyed to Paris. Japanese art, still to this day, has its roots in the School of Paris, and this is partially because of a natural affinity artists have towards it. For instance, the flattening of forms, an emphasis on tasteful decorativeness and cheerfulness, that are hallmarks of the School of Paris, appeal to the Japanese artistic sense. From a technical standpoint, artists were enamored with oil paint on linen, and generations of artists have stuck with them, as opposed to far more American artists who embraced acrylic on cotton canvas.

Reiko Nishi is a strong proponent of this tradition and she makes a convincing statement that there is plenty of room for fresh explorations. The artist is a fine colorist who is also adept at producing interesting surface effects that subtly interact with colors. Nishi fully utilizes the crystalline clarity of oil paint and produces luscious color harmonies. With a large repertoire of abstract forms, Nishi’s compositions are inventive and satisfying. Nishi’s art is simultaneously Japanese in character and universal in nature.