

OSAMU WATANABE: Chocolate river
Whitestone Gallery Karuizawa is pleased to announce ‘Chocolate river’ by the well-known fake cream artist, Osamu Watanabe.
Brought up by his mother who was a teacher at a school of confectionery, the artist found “sweets” as a symbol of his own happy memories in his childhood and started to produce artworks when he entered Tokyo Zokei University.
Since 2000, he has been producing ‘fake cream art’ which consists of model animals and historical artworks in decorated resins made up in the form of fake creams, macaroons, ice creams, and fruits. While his works may seem merely fanciful, they can be seen as actually enabling people to re-describe materials and stereotypes by looking at objects which have been created from his unique viewpoint.
In the three years since his last solo show at Karuizawa, he now returns with some new ironic works inspired by Edvard Munch’s Scream, Korin Ogata’s Red and White Plum Blossoms, etc.
轻井泽画廊
日本389-0102长野县北佐久轻井泽町轻郡井泽1151-5轻井泽新艺术美术馆1楼
Tel: +81 (0)267 46 8691
Fax: +81 (0)267 46 8692
Opening Hours:10:00 - 17:00 (October - June),10:00 - 18:00 (July - September)
Closed: 周一
Tel: +81 (0)267 46 8691
Fax: +81 (0)267 46 8692
Opening Hours:10:00 - 17:00 (October - June),10:00 - 18:00 (July - September)
Closed: 周一
ARTIST

渡边理
渡边理
2000年起,渡边理开始从事一种崭新的艺术类型,他利用制作食品样本的技术,将各种创作主题进行装饰,并将此表现风格定义为「伪奶油艺术」。他选择美术史中的古典作品作为题材,靠着独特的艺术手法,创造出有别于以往价值观的作品。除了具代表性的动物系列之外,另有名画和希腊雕像的系列、以全白的奶油呈现枯山水的系列,以及在世界遗产上进行装饰的作品系列等等。
由于渡边理的母亲曾在制菓学校担任讲师,因此甜点自小就充斥在他生活周遭,且与纪念日和生日等的幸福记忆紧密相连。这促使他在创作的过程中,联想到最贴近身边的甜点作为主题。其作品富有高度娱乐性,因此常获邀上电视节目、于百货公司中展示,或和动画及美体沙龙等企业进行合作等,广获引介至不同领域,还吸引了许多原本对艺术敬而远之者。对于这些活动,他本人曾在访谈中表示「就像不断增加的奶油一样,透过与各式 各样的媒体和企业进行合作,我得以实现将个人作品链接至各种 文化,并将它们拓展到全球舞台的计划。」
他的作品在国际舞台备受瞩目,除了日本之外,也在诸如中国、意大利、比利时、土耳其、美国、韩国等地举办个展。此外,作品更获大原美术馆(冈山县)与清须市春日美术馆(爱知县)收藏。