Japanese artist Tomohiro Inaba is known for his dynamic sculptures, which tell a different story depending on where you stand. From one angle, his carefully crafted animals and human figures appear whole, while from another, they seem to disintegrate into thin air. Presented in a new solo exhibition fittingly titled A Story That You See, his work is a tribute to his visual storytelling.
Inaba’s sheep, deer, and bison become the main characters of their stories and are not only inspired by his observations in nature but by music and movies as well. Sometimes accompanied by or interacting with human figures, his sculpture keeps the viewer guessing. Through his innovative use of positive and negative space, he invites onlookers to fill in the blanks and decide for themselves how the scene will unfold.
The sculptor hopes that his work pushes people to use their imaginations and appreciate the different interpretations that can come from a singular piece of art. In this way, he acts as a conductor, energetically putting together and then unraveling what we see. Every energetic pull of the wire changes the mood of the sculpture.
At times, these expertly crafted metal “scribbles” appear to be blowing away. In other moments, they look as though they are actually flowing into the piece, helping form the animal’s body. Truly unique, each sculpture is the fruit of careful consideration, as Inaba balances what is whole and what we must construct with our minds.
A Story That You See is currently on view at Tokyo’s Yukiko Mizutani until August 31. If you are unable to catch Inaba’s Tokyo exhibition, those in France will have an opportunity in October when he participates in a duo show at Arts Range in Onfleur.
Tomohiro Inaba’s dynamic wire sculptures tell a different story depending on where you stand.
Through his innovative use of positive and negative space, he invites viewers to use their imaginations to fill out the scene.
At times, these expertly crafted metal “scribbles” appear to be blowing away.
In other moments, they look as though they are actually flowing into the piece, helping form the animal’s body.
The sculptor’s work is on view in Tokyo now, and he’ll be part of a two-person exhibition in France in October.
Tomohiro Inaba: Website | Instagram | Facebook
My Modern Met granted permission to feature photos by Tomohiro Inaba.
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