ARTWORK NEWS
ONTARIO EXHIBIT - PICTON @ BASE 31 - A NEW CULTURAL COMMUNITY
After the successful RENEWAL show in the spring, I was invited to continue showing my 3 pieces at the Roster Artists show happening now. The show has been said to be wonderful and well worth the visit. Melt Studio Gallery is located in the new Base 31 cultural community which is being built on WWII barracks. The buildings have plates explaining the history of the site and the community is being designed on cutting edge, forward thinking ideas. Melt Gallery, Base 31
THE SWISS CONNECTION
Ki Gallery in the quaint town of Cully, Switzerland is a newly opened gallery situated on the north edge of Lake Geneva. With a philosophy and purpose so much in line with my own work, it was a perfect match when they contacted me about working together. Now, there are 6 pieces of mine in their collection, with the current IKIGAI exhibit running until fall 2025. They are for sale at the gallery. Since the gallery is new, they are working on their website but should have more information available soon. Ki Gallery Website
A CAT: A QUESTION OF PERCEPTION
The conceptual and thematic directions for the acrylic painting work on flat surfaces are becoming more and more clear as exemplified with this 2024 piece "A Cat: a question of perception". The recent work highlights psychology and perception, with a formal style consisting of flat, highly-abstracted representations, taken almost to the point of pure geometry. Symbolism of course is playing an important role providing the inspiration, meaning and raison d'ètre underlying the compositions. The contemplation of this piece begins with the first thought that may arise, which is that this animal may appear more dog-like than cat-like. This is a good start as it questions form, appearances and familiarity. It may already be apparent at this point that the title is referring not only to the theme of the painting but also the viewer's very perception and experience of the painting. How much do we know about cats? As much as we know, we will never have the experience of being a cat. Knowledge is always interpreted through the human faculty. The painting goes on to display a flurry of coloured shapes overlapping and intermingling with the cat face, hinting of naturally occurring spots on animal hide, as well as suggesting an imaginative and vague world prior to everyday existence. The mixing of the ethereal shapes with the cat face in fact threatens the existence of the cat image, again calling up questions of appearance vs. reality. After all, the real cat is never a fixed image (as in a realistic painting of a cat) but an incessantly moving form (as are all objects and creatures in this world). And if the whole quality of the painting does not already pull the viewer into the realm of contemplating perception and reality, the circular eye of the cat—blatantly disregarding any true perceptive data of an eye—will certainly remind the viewer that this work is addressing with force our abstracted ideas of objects in our world.
“ALL ABOARD!” THE RITZ-CARLTON YACHT COLLECTION
The Essence of Motion No.1 is afloat on the Super Yacht Evrima. Developed with the notion of the powerful sea in mind, the open and flowing form now stands on the 4th deck of the luxury craft. The piece was constructed with 12 layers of 2-inch thick wood, planed by hand and glued together; first in 3 layer stacks and then those stacks glued together, etc. I hope the work serves its purpose of adding intrigue and inspiration to the interior of the room outlooking the rolling sea behind and under.
Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection Website
MAGAZINE FEATURE
A very well written article has been published in The Art Bridge, a free online magazine, clearly explaining the philosophy behind my work. Based on an interview with excellent questions probing into my deepest concepts and inspirations. Anniversary Edition V 2024.
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Ordering Artwork:
All available work including wood forms may be purchased directly by contacting me at info@mikesasaki.com and the wood forms are also available through the online shop. Inquire about paying by installments.
“We are Love. Love is the field of Being, which we are. Thoughts create a second from the one. This second is not real but we think it is real and we revert it back onto ourselves creating a self-image. This pattern is active all through our lives until we see the falseness of it and find truth in wholeness, in Love.” ~MS
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Welcome to the hub of my artwork online : )
Connect to news, new artwork, notes on inspiration, process, and poetry on facebook; follow the sculpting process real-time on instagram or read my poetry blog. There are slideshow portfolios on each web page (see the buttons in the top menu bar of this home page) which exhibit one type of work (like "paintings", "craft" and "design") and of course an overview of my endeavours here on the home page. I am reachable at info@mikesasaki.com and appreciate questions and inquiries. New sculptures are regularly listed for sale on my online Etsy shop where I ship to buyers worldwide.
Artistic Approach
My work:
The arrival at the present artistic approach was less constructed than discovered. Removing irrelevant ideas from my mind, thus uncovering more mental space, allows general concepts with much greater potency to appear. It is the via negativa, the discovering of truth through negating the false. I find this process to be so important not only for the purpose of working more efficiently but also for the quality of life as a whole. As I continue to investigate this subject through the studying of material which includes Neo-Platonic and Vedantic metaphysics, I express my findings through not only visual art but also through writing and poetry which can be found on my blog (link at top of page) and facebook.
For this brief essay I have chosen to include the aspect of integrity. I feel this topic to be of utmost importance in the face of globalization. What I call "irresponsible advertising" is that which interferes with the peaceful order in our lives; or, that which exploits the unwary. This type of advertising is so common and it is for this very reason that it needs to be addressed. In general, treating others with respect and not exploiting them or bothering them is a commonly accepted notion, but why should it be different in advertising? I am of the reasoning that if we are going to move in a healthy direction as a human race with regards to our species and the balance of the planet as a whole, this issue of integrity must first be recognized.
Influences:
Here are a few specific influences which will give those who are interested a sense of the ground from which many of my themes are built.
J. Krishnamurti: He repeatedly insisted that he was not to be followed, that his words were not to be taken as dogma, that what he was urging us to look at needed to be questioned by each one of us individually so as to discover the truth (beyond concept) for ourselves. He entreated us to question "time", "thought", and our own "authority", in order to be totally psychologically free.
Yoga: The asanas (postures) effect the overall health of the body greatly. This in turn effects the health of the mind. In other words, they prepare the ground for the arrival of deep insight—but how we conduct our lives remains the real test. The tradition of yoga encompasses much more than the asanas. As Patanjali's Yoga Sutras demonstrate, the discipline of yoga involves subtle metaphysical investigation in order to realize the deepest connection we have with the universe (since we are not separate from it).
Plato: Plato's "Forms" are the essences of specific objects. They are invisible and intelligible. When I chose the name "Wood Forms" for my sculptures I knew it was a general name and that it suited the abstract nature of the pieces but I had yet to be acquainted in depth with Plato's work. After learning of his Forms, there was an instant spark of recognition regarding its relevance. As I continue to research, the parallel between Plato's Ideas (pun) and my ideas ever strengthens and gives rise to new insights regarding the art making process in general.
The Wood Forms:
I make "visual poetry" through the use of highly abstract form, the parts of the sculpture being analogous to the words of the poem; yet as we know, parts are inextricably related to the whole and a difficulty arises when attempting to differentiate them from it. This exemplifies a common theme coursing through my work—namely that of non-duality. This concept is found in a plethora of philosophical traditions, perhaps most popularly in Taoism. Regarding non-duality, I find the following point to be most essential: it is not the concept we are after, but rather the actuality to which the concept points. The concept of non-duality as represented by the yin yang symbol is easily grasped, yet the truth of it is a much more subtle and involved issue. To contact such a truth requires deep psychological and ontological investigation.
Geometry and consequently form are fundamental aspects of the cosmos. The beauty of the sensible world reminds us of this fact. Human beings make art—whether it is a chair, a broom, or a sandwich. Art is an aspect of our species. Through abstract sculpture I am able to enquire into the core aspects of Nature and give birth to individual expressions of platonic Forms upon which I stumble.
Written in October 2021. Revised in January 2024.
Autobiography
I was born in Toronto, Canada in 1982. I practiced drawing a lot as a child out of enjoyment. I was also taught woodworking from my father at a young age. In high school I started using clay for sculptures. I graduated from the York University/Sheridan College Honours Bachelor Program in Design in 2005. There, I implemented my drawings into my designs quite often. I was especially interested in the book design course because we learned how to bind books by hand and it gave me an opportunity to write, illustrate, design and bind a volume. This allowed for a totally integrated design where the paper's texture relates to the theme of the book, the dust jacket design relates to the stitching style, etc. I went on to live in Tokyo for 5 years deepening my investigation into Japanese culture and philosophy, and practicing Shorinji Kempo - a martial art. The gardens, block prints, festivals, tea ceremony and architecture were deeply inspiring. I worked illustrating teaching material, designing new year's cards, and illustrating t-shirts. When I returned to Canada I worked at Lynrich Arts in Toronto where I provided graphic design, illustration, and art teaching. I have been doing freelance graphic design and illustration since 2005. I started using wood as my main mode of expression since realizing in 2011 that it was my choice medium. The ideas and concepts for the sculptures were developed shortly thereafter. I currently live in Metro Vancouver, Canada.
