At Whitestone Ginza New Gallery, the exhibition “Dimensions III—in/sight” is holding works by emerging contemporary artists. This space, where the unique talents of multiple artists intersect, creates a platform where individuality and expression come together to generate new insights.

For this exhibition, we conducted interviews with the six participating artists in order to reveal their inner worlds. We asked them the same set of questions to find out how they developed their artistic expressions, and unravel the relationship between art and modern society as depicted in their artworks.

The formation of the world, in search of its truth: generation and dissolution

Yu Hashimoto《6》(2024, 91.0×72.7cm, oil on canvas)

1. What is the theme of your work for this exhibition?

Hashimoto: For me, painting has always been akin to a form of documentation. My creative core lies in the extension of sketches and drawings, as I grapple with the question of how to record moments and perceptions on the canvas. I’ve worked with quick, daily paintings, aiming to complete one piece per day. For this exhibition, I’ve taken on a new challenge by combining elements of scenes and settings, which I haven’t incorporated before, with the aspect of documentation. As a result, compared to my previous works, many of these pieces involved spending more time reworking the canvas.

2. Your artwork entitled "6" is a key visual of the exhibition. What kind of work is it?

Hashimoto: "6" was created with the imagery of the human body being generated or dismantled. The title comes from the events of the sixth day in the Book of Genesis, when humans were created. The experience of agnosia, which was a turning point in my creative journey, and the process of recovery (the act of naming), coincidentally overlapped with the Genesis narrative. This has since become a recurring theme in my work. "6" is a piece that directly addresses this significant issue for me.

Yu Hashimoto《Untitled》(2024, 41.0 × 32.0cm, oil on canvas)

3. Is there an event or experience that serves as the foundation of your creativity?

Hashimoto: Experiencing agnosia made me think more deeply about expression. A few years ago, I forgot everything for a brief moment. Later, I realized it was agnosia, but the scenery I saw during those approximately 15 minutes is vividly imprinted in my mind. In that world where I forgot the names of everything—including my own identity—nothing had visually changed, yet it felt inexplicably mysterious and terrifying beyond words. Gradually, I began to remember the names of things, and that process coincidentally overlapped with the story of Genesis in the Bible. It felt as though I had grasped one of the fundamental truths of the world. This experience serves as the foundation of my current creative work.

4. What motivates you to continue creating, and what do you consider your strengths as an artist?

Hashimoto: My motivation lies in uncovering a fundamental truth about the true structure of the world. However, there are times when painting alone is not sufficient to approach this. For that reason, I experiment with various expressive mediums, including performance art.

Yu Hashimoto《Victims 1》(2024, 73.0 × 61.0cm, oil on canvas)

5. How did you arrive at your current method of expression, and what drives your choice of medium?

Hashimoto: Initially, my works focused on emotions and past complexes. However, through experiences like agnosia, influences from music, and changes in my interests, I gradually shifted to exploring the themes of form and perception. I’ve since expanded my practice to include performance in addition to painting. I’m excited to see where my creative journey will take me next.

6. Are there any people or works that have influenced you?

Hashimoto: There are far too many to list, but I’ve been influenced by French literature and Surrealism. Additionally, the sounds and artwork of psychedelic and progressive rock have had a significant impact on me.

Yu Hashimoto《runaway》2024, 65.5 × 53.3cm, oil on canvas)

7. If engaging with others' worldviews is the highlight of a group exhibition, what kind of chemistry are you hoping to see in “Dimensions III”?

Hashimoto: I can’t predict exactly what will happen, but I enjoy an indirect approach that gradually gets to the core of things. I hope that something akin to a new truth—different from what my works aim to convey—emerges in the space as a result.

8. Are there specific aspects of your work that you’d like viewers to experience?

Hashimoto: I’d like viewers to enjoy the process, such as how shapes change and evolve. I create flow and rhythm through brushstrokes, colors, and occasionally arrows that guide the movement or distortion of forms.

9. What are your aspirations?

Hashimoto: I believe my work will inevitably change, so I want to keep discovering new things. I want to find something even more extraordinary and explore uncharted, intense places.

Yu Hashimoto《Miles Davis》(2024, 65.2 × 53.0cm,oil on canvas)

The overlapping layers of forms reconstruct the very scenery that Yu Hashimoto perceives. They present a new structure of the world, one that we alone could never reach.

”Dimensions III—in/sight” is open until December 27, 2024. The exhibition can also be viewed anytime online via the Whitestone Gallery Online Store.

Exhibition Information

Yu Hashimoto
Born in Nagasaki in 2003, Yu Hashimoto has been influenced by music, literature, and psychedelic culture. Upholding the theme of “human perception and its structure”, Hashimoto not only creates two-dimensional works using oil paint, but also considers performance as a form of his expression. In his pictorial creations, he consistently explores perception from the five senses and another aspect of the visible world, using human beings as his motives. What is usually shown to us and what is not? How is the structure of the whole world, in which subjectivity and objectivity are intricately intertwined, lurking behind reality? Each of his works is an answer to his quest, embodying innumerable “truths”. While attending Nihon University College of Art, Department of Fine Art and Design, Major in Oil Painting, the artist actively participates in solo and group shows.