Gaining a broader perspective on oneself through art

A Stroll Through the Kanagawa Gallery
File.14 Gallery Pictor
Shino Yamamoto (Galerie Watts)

I run this gallery hoping that more people will experience the power and appeal of art, but I often feel frustrated when customers dismiss it with a simple "it's too difficult."

Although I don't come from an art background, I can still say that "art isn't something so distant; in fact, it's something that can connect with us in countless ways."

I was inspired to visit Gallery Pictor's Sachi Nakajima, who wrote in an essay that "art is not just about 'healing and the extraordinary'."

Gallery Pictor is located in Kamakura. Exit the west exit of Kamakura Station, where the Enoden train line is located, and walk along Onari Street. It has a calmer atmosphere than the Komachi Street side.

Once you reach Yuigahama Street, turn right and walk a little further and you'll be at the gallery. But as you walk, if you look up a bit, you'll find the shop signs and facades delightful. I was enjoying the old-fashioned charm, the seaside atmosphere, the history, the location, and all the other attractions that Kamakura embodies, so it took me a while to finally reach the gallery (laughs).

When you come across a tall, simple building, go up to the second floor and you'll find Gallery Pictor .
This section showcases works by contemporary artists from Japan and abroad.

"When it comes to art, there's a tendency for the concept to take precedence, but I want to introduce works that have a contemporary context, are universal, and possess solid artistic expression," says gallery owner Sachi Nakajima.

One of the artists in the three-person exhibition that was currently being held, textile artist Rentaro Kawamoto, created works using rag weaving, with materials being secondhand clothes collected from both Japan and abroad. His vibrant yellow and red pieces are made using Kodak Films logo T-shirts.

As someone from the film generation, it brought back nostalgic memories. The corporate color, Kodak Yellow, was revived, and it reminded me of the passage of time and the end of the Kodak vs. Fujifilm (whose corporate color was green) rivalry. I also reflected on how various "vs" are still happening today in this rapidly changing world.

"Textiles have been a part of daily life throughout the world, from before the Common Era to every era. I think it's fascinating how these textiles, which reflect history, culture, and regional characteristics, are interwoven with modern activities. Also, the materials have changed over time, and the richness of the textures is what makes textile works so interesting," says Nakajima.

From March 27th, a solo exhibition will be held featuring new works by Rentaro Kawamoto that are linked to Zen Buddhism.

What really caught my eye was the work of Mitsuko Hoshino, an artist living in Germany.
As you move, a faint image will appear on the previously empty screen, depending on the angle.

People tend to try to grasp things that are almost visible but not quite, or things that are fleeting, and that's exactly how I felt, lingering back and forth in front of this spot for ages. I wanted to savor it slowly, string together the keywords that came to mind, and find the source of why it piqued my interest.

In these uncertain times brought about by the coronavirus, I feel that this is an opportunity to reaffirm my own core values. This artwork, where the picture becomes clear depending on one's perspective, seemed to repeatedly remind me of my own essence.

Reading the artist's statement afterward allows you to grasp the artist's intentions, and it's fascinating to deepen your own thinking from there. That's how art becomes more accessible to us.

Two years after opening the gallery, Nakajima says she has gained a clearer understanding of her role.
It's about changing the perception of art from something healing or an escape from the ordinary to "a medium that shows us our real world from various perspectives."

Connecting points of interest creates lines, then surfaces, expanding the worldview we see... I believe that art is a nodal point that transcends boundaries, and I want to share various points as a platform to explore what is important.

However, it is ultimately up to the observer to connect the dots. In other words, instead of being content with the information given, if you take a bird's-eye view of your own inner self and examine your current environment, you may find clues to how to move forward, even when the future is uncertain.

I also highly recommend reading Ms. Nakajima's essays, which are serialized on the gallery website; they are always very interesting.

(Interview conducted in February 2021)

Gallery Information
Gallery Pictor
2F, Kamakura Tailor Building, 3-1-28 Yuigahama, Kamakura City, Kanagawa Prefecture
TEL: 080-7085-8404
Opening hours: 11:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Gallery Open: Mondays and Tuesdays (Closed during exhibition changeovers, regardless of the day of the week)
Parking: None
https://gallery-pictor.com/

"access"
▶︎Get off at Wadazuka Station on the Enoshima Electric Railway. Approximately 3 minutes on foot.
Approximately 10 minutes on foot from the west exit of Kamakura Station on the JR Yokosuka Line.

■ Rentaro Kawamoto Exhibition "The Fabric of Time"
Saturday, March 27, 2021 - Sunday, April 25, 2021 Gallery Pictor
April 2nd (Fri) - April 4th (Sun), 2021: Kencho-ji Temple, Ryuo-den Hall
*See here for details.