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Gravity and Grace / 2023

The exhibition commences with the latest iteration of the Gravity and Grace series, first presented in 2016. A large vessel carved with a pattern of various plants and animals emits intense light, casting shadows in the shapes of flora and fauna. Here, Ohmaki responds to unprecedented human-made disasters caused by nuclear power with light as powerful as 840,000 lumens, which can be called a symbolic representation of the explosive energy of nuclear fission. With this mesmerizing light, to which viewers are literally drawn like moths to a flame, and the spectacle of people being so captivated, Ohmaki critiques a society excessively reliant on electricity.
Gravity and Grace is the title of a collection of aphorisms by the French philosopher Simone Weil. According to Weil, as beings bound by gravity, it is by accepting the void that we can receive God’s grace. Ohmaki is also scheduled to produce photograms based on this ambitious installation comprised of light and shadow.

Exhibition:Shinji Ohmaki: Interface of Being
Venue:The National Art Center / Tokyo
Year:2023
Medium:iron, urethane paint,stainless steel, LED light, etc
Size:
[Artwork] φ 400 × 700 (cm)
[Space] W 7.8 × D 48 × H 8 (m)

Photo:Keizo Kioku
Sound : Ikawa Akashi
Poem: Ryoko Sekiguchi

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