Yugo: There is
something called the simulacra effect. It's a phenomenon where, if there
are three dots, the
brain associates it with a human face. A process that has led to the creation
of the emoji. When there is distortion or blur, humans try
to correct it, and
subconsciously follow the brushstrokes and colors in a picture. By doing so, you can
incorporate elements of motion into a painting that is more an image.
In that sense, I'd like
to paint works that are more like images. Now that we are too used to seeing
videos, I think these
forms of expression have more reality.
Y: I think this
leads to the topic of geometric shapes, but at the
bottom is an interest in transient things, or things
that are elusive. Even a color is, in essence, a kind of
wavelength of light, and you could say that according to the laws
of physics, everything
in the natural world is constantly changing. So, as you say, I guess I
do put everything on the same level, no matter what motif I'm portraying.
Y: I was looking
for something that I couldn't paint elsewhere. I didn't want this to be a
residency where I simply painted what I had always painted in a different
location. However, three months is too short a time to get to
know the climate and culture of this place well. I thought that choosing a
traditional, religious
ceremony like the Semana Santa would allow me to get to know this place on a
deeper level. I guess you could say that this ceremony certainly had enough of
an impact to make me feel that way.
G: The
technique you’re developing here involves
a new palette of colors and the perspective is absent. How do you feel about
this new evolution?
Y: Regarding the
palette, I don't
think there are any ugly colors, any more than there are beautiful colors. All
that exists are correlations between colors that are beautiful, and
correlations that don't look beautiful. Therefore, the
palette is affected by the theme, and by the motifs, and
because I want to actively embrace that, my palette
is forced to undergo a change at the same time. As far as perspective is
concerned, it's more
an issue of composition. If you want to introduce an abstract element, you just
have to destroy the perspective at some point. If I keep the perspective intact
when I paint, the
abstract elements often end up as nothing more than background for people. I
want to make it more complex.
G: I think it’s a clear rupture with your
past works and the photographic aspect has a fundamental evidence in these
landscapes. How did this new experimentation start? Why did you change your
usual way of painting?
Y: I'm always
looking for new possibilities in terms of techniques and materials. I think
that changing one's technique can also be described as acquiring a new
technique. I believe that adding to my inventory and increasing my range will
also have a positive effect on the techniques
that I have already been using.
G: How’s the experience of a
residency abroad? Lumbier is totally different from Tokyo. What are the
advantages and the disadvantages of being isolated from the chaos?
Y: I've lived in
Tokyo for about 15 years, but I was born in a rural town that is not so
different from here. I was there until I was 18 years old, so I
believe that the both aspects—the big city of Tokyo and the countryside—have
cultivated my sensibilities. That has helped to give me a range of values and
ideas. In that sense, I think that sometimes it can be a good thing
to put yourself in a different environment. I think the biggest advantage is
that I can really focus on my work. Being isolated also allows me to face me to
confront myself. There's the Internet and social media, and you
can gather information, but I guess the disadvantage is that it takes
too much time and money if you actually want to see something with your own
eyes.
Giulia Gelmini, Spring 2018 curator-in-residence at Calle Mayor 54. She is contributor at: ATP diary and Made in mindmagazine.
Yugo Kohrogi, Spring 2018 artist-in-residence at Calle Mayor 54.
