Konishi Toshiyuki Untitled

signed and titled in English and dated 2014 on the reverse

ARATANIURANO, Tokyo
Private Asian Collection  

This work is generally in good condition. Please note that it was not examined under ultraviolet light.
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

Toshiyuki Konishi 

Oftentimes, contemporary Japanese art is equated with the hugely influential Superflat movement as coined by Murakami Takashi, or perhaps seen through the lens of kawaii, as evidenced by Nara Yoshitomo’s adorable oeuvre, or perhaps yet, the splendid Pop images created by Kusama Yayoi. The present sale presents a group of young, emerging, and talented Japanese artists who together represent a departure from such larger movements. Collectively, they represent the artistic forms of minimalism, the figurative, surrealism, and even abstraction. These young artists’ works breathe new life into the discourse of contemporary Japanese art, offering their audiences entirely new perspectives on such an established art form.

Most well-known for his emotional gestural painting, Toshiyuki Konishi has emerged as a fresh face in contemporary Japanese art since his debut show in 2004 at Gallery ES, Tokyo. Konishi creates his characters in highly stylised strokes of lines and dots, together with bold structures to capture the essence of the human body, leaving traces of the artist’s own physical movement on the canvas. This immediate physicality of brushstrokes and his precise delineation of human figures in return deliver a sense of primitiveness in his representation of portraits. After his completion of postgraduate studies at Masashino Art University in 2007, Konishi has actively participated in group exhibitions based in Tokyo, including “Art Award Tokyo Marunouchi 2013” at Gyoukou St. Underground Passageway Gallery (2013), “Drawings” at ARATANIURANO (2012), “VOCA 2009-The Vision of Contemporary Art” at Ueno Royal Museum (2009). He also participated in group exhibitions in “Long Season” by Michael Ku Gallery in Taipei, Taiwan (2009) and in “Emotional Drawing” at SOMA Museum of Art in Seoul, Korea (2009). His solo exhibitions include “Crazy for Painting” at Gallery AM (2012), and “NADA ART FAIR MIAMI BEACH at Miami, USA (2010). His works are also part of the Pigozzi Collection, Takahashi Collection and Burger Collection.