Imagine(d) Familiarity
an exhibition of new etchings by Mitsushige Nishiwaki
July 7th - September 18th, 2023
Incorporating and curating new and recent work of the artist’s etchings in this new exhibition imagine(d) familiarity, Mitsushige Nishiwaki’s art focuses on the recognizable and commonplace reimagined through his consistent language and unique perspective of significant cities around the world....Using familiar icons and the reinterpretation of each city’s streets and local character, Nishiwaki presents us with wonderment in his multi panel copperplate etchings.
The artist’s point of view is to utilize Paris, London, New York, Boston and others, as backdrops for his storyboard etchings, which are playful reinterpretations, exaggerations, and celebrations all at once.
Rooftops turn into outward expressions of the private lives and activities from within. Street scenes are naïve and whimsical, often presenting everyday contexts – the bakery, flower shop, and the like. All his characters, buildings and people, contribute to the universal familiarity of metropolitan life.
In some of his artwork, scale relationships are exaggerated, creating juxtaposing in the composition. This mixing up of scale enhances the story that is being told. Nishiwaki’s art turns the street and urban life into story material that spills out in his graphic etchings.
Beginning in 2009, self taught in intaglio, Mitsushige Nishiwaki’s etchings are on copperplate. For highlighted color, he etches on plastic so as to intensify the color. The German Hahnemuhle paper he uses dates back to 1584, and is of the highest excellence as is the Charbonnel etching ink Nishiwaki uses. His larger works are made up of a series of abutting small print-plate sizes, providing a visible armature for the artwork.
Nishiwaki is a graduate of Hosei University in Tokyo and received a graduate degree in graphic design while studying in Arizona. He works as an artist and graphic designer in Tokyo. His artwork has been exhibited in Japan, France, England and the United States.
Gurari Collections invites you to see imagine(d) familiarity an exhibition of etched work-on-paper.
Gallery hours are by appointment or Tuesday - Saturday, 12:00 - 5:00 pm; Sundays by chance, 12 – 4 pm.
Telephone: 617.367.9800; email: guraicollections@gmail.com
