Marie Gallery is pleased to present a solo exhibition by Shoichi Seino.

The sculptures of Shoichi Seino show us the reaction between fire and materials such as clay, stone, graphite and aluminum. When fire and these substances meet, not only does the condition of the substances change but also their appearance. Although we can anticipate what will happen after this encounter, unexpected results are sometimes caused by the different characteristics of the substances and the nature of the fire. The substance that existed before being burned seems to vanish. Meanwhile, the substance changes in appearance and is reborn as a new one.

Since his first solo exhibition in 1977, Seino has tried to maintain the natural and simplified shapes of the materials he uses. Natural and undecorated objects can assert themselves. Therefore, Seino's materials have to confront fire as they truly are, to be finished as integrated art works in a process of change.

The works in this exhibition are made with ceramic filters and carbon graphite. Ceramic filters are used to refine liquids for foodstuffs like soy sauce and to eliminate bacteria, and also to make semiconductors. Carbon graphite is omnipresent and is found in mobile phones, PCs, cars, and the aerospace industry. If we imagine the confrontation between carbon graphite and fire, it suggests us to the atom bomb. Seino creates sculptures in which the basic substances face both life and death directly. The substances can be transformed by him into new things even though they lead to destruction through fire. The meaning of existence change, too.


For further information please check the artist's official website
http://seinoshoichi.art758.com/
and contact the gallery at
info@mariegallery.com