2019 — Exhibition

Kazuo Kadonaga

12/10 /2019- 20/11/2019Cozumel #61

Galería Mascota is proud to present for the first time in Mexico the work of the Japanese sculptor Kazuo Kadonaga (1946, Ishikawa, JP). His artistic practice focuses on the elementary properties of common materials such as wood, paper and glass. In his work, Kadonaga reorganizes the natural order of materials in order for them to acquire new meaning as well as to call attention to their inherent qualities. Due to this approach, weather and atmospheric changes become his most important tools: he fights with materials that are particularly susceptible to unpredictable environments and cheerfully recognizes chance. The exhibition is populated mainly by Kadonaga´s wood pieces. Massive and meticulous, they are made up of long strips of wood, glued in the form of an original log or in geometric shapes which both reveal the grain and question the way we see the nature of trees. In his paper works, he makes a stack of many pieces of handmade paper and puts it under a press while it is still drying. He then separates the sheets on one side. The contrast between the thin sheets on one side, what is ordinarily thought of as the natural form of paper, and the block of paper that remains compressed on the other side is an effective demonstration of the physical qualities of paper. The parts of the sheets that have been peeled apart swell naturally because of the resilience of the fibres, creating a unique, expansive form Finally, Kadonaga’s approach on process of transition continues with works made of glass. When examining their accumulations, the pieces reflect their methodical construction as well as the elements of chance provided by nature. The imperfections and bubbles caused by the instability of the air in the studio are mere evidence of the passage of time in their creation.