Under the Moonlight

JD Malat Gallery is proud to present ‘Under the Moonlight’, the first solo exhibition by Japanese artist Masayoshi Nojo, on display from 16 January 2020 until 15 February 2020.

‘Under the Moonlight’ presents a new series of work entitled “Mirage”. Inspired by natural phenomena and Japanese landscapes, Nojo fuses contemporary visual languages with Japanese aesthetics to explore the themes of memory and the passage of time. His use of silver foils on top of a marbled acrylic base creates an array of dark and reflective passages, deeply resonating with the atmospheric mirage one may feel when under moonlight.

Nojo’s new series is highly motivated by the relationship between light and dark in natural scenery. The multi-layered images with both dark and light shimmering passages present an array of grayscale tones in constant flux, allowing the viewer to traverse the complexity of the surfaces and be transported to a landscape in the distant memory of the viewer.

Born in 1989 in Kanagawa, Japan, Masayoshi Nojo completed his MA in Japanese Paintings in 2015 from the Kyoto University of Art and Design. Rooted in Japanese art history, Nojo’s use of silver is reminiscent of Ogata Kōrin’s celebrated work during the Edo Period in seventeenth-century Japan. Drawing upon contemporary methods of creation and traditions in Japanese art and culture, ‘Under the Moonlight’ explores themes of memory and time.

‘Under the Moonlight’ is Nojo’s first solo show outside of Japan. Nojo has shown in many galleries in Japan, such as Tokyo Arts Gallery, Tokyo and the Gallery Art Composition, Tokyo. The widespread acknowledgement and admiration of his work has been marked by his awards, most notably the Grand Prize, Tadasu no Mori Dessin Contest (2009) and the Grand Prize Turner Award (2013).