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Delightful aesthetic of wit produced By a dialogue between past and present
Even to artists, drawing means something beyond just the act itself. It is a fearful but interesting aesthetic journey toward a strange world outside a door, and at the same time it is a dialogue between past and present. Regardless of the form, artists have impregnated a unique authenticity within a continuous correlating relationship, and will continue to do so in the future as well. This is because the past will continue to deliver a new future. Only, until recently the past of art history has been considered as something to be overcome. And because of this view, it has at times, rushed too quickly to extreme self-denial as experienced in Dada or in minimalism. From this perspective, if we were to say that past art has developed within the struggles of self-denial, the recent art seems to be more concerned with pluralistic tolerance or acceptance. This could appear to be unruly or chaotic; however, it acts more as a power source that pulls along diversity of the contemporary art.
On the other hand, art is more of a play or a place of fun for artists now, rather than being a solemn act uncovering something noble or grandeur. It could be said that this is a frank reflection of present day. In other words, certain boundaries and mold of reason, which we firmly believe in, is becoming timid or is tumbling down. And this sort of phase is not only apparent in Japan, but it is an important characteristic piercing through the global contemporary art in general. In this respect, Ichikawa Tomoaki’s artworks are also within this contemporary art paradigm. He not only attempts actively at a dialogue between past and present bringing out his own fresh aesthetic consciousness, he also does not lose his delightful wit while maintaining sobriety. This is possible only through the efforts made to inherit the spirit rather than just following a pattern.
To the artist, masters of the western art such as Jan van Eyck, Diego Velazquez, and Rembrandt are absolute idols that may not be overcome with his own ability. The only feeling toward the artworks, which seem to be filled with grandeur, of these masters the artist allows himself to feel is “adoration.” Furthermore, it is only when the adoration-filled artist throws his body towards them the active dialogue of present begins. Here, we should note that although Ichikawa goes back towards the past he does not let go of the present. For this reason his emotions are based on contemporary culture that is familiar to him, such as animation, manga, or rock music.
In looking into Ichikawa Tomoaki’s artworks, we can divide them into two aspects. First are the artworks that borrow from the masters of the western art such as Jan van Eyck’s “The Arnolfini Marriage,” or Diego Velazquez’s “Magarita”. Second are the artworks with animals that the artist commonly comes in contact with such as a dog, a panda, a bear, a deer a mouse, and rabbit, or icons that reflect present such as Picasso and Kurt Cobain. Additionally, he maintains a formal unity over most of his artworks; the composition of his portraits. Deliberately somber looking animals or people such Elton John, Picasso, and Kurt Cobain are displayed adorning nobleman’s clothes with crown no their heads. The animals in outdoor portraits are displayed especially with a variety of expressions and positions, with a rose on their lips with lazy and erotic poses, some even boasting dignity mounted on a horse with a red banner.
The element that shines in his artworks more than anything is “wit.” Ichikawa Tomoaki’s own unique wit that dwells within a specific genre—portraits of the classical painting—inspires most delightful fairytale-like imagination in us. Furthermore, he does not forget that such wit becomes alive when it possesses self-reflection of the present life. From this perspective, Ichikawa Tomoaki’s attempt at a time-travel is an act of ingesting aesthetic nutrients, and it is a rediscovering the present through the past masters. In short, as we can infer “fluid or suspended above” form a word “floating,” Ichikawa Tomoaki creates a delightful aesthetics of wit through floating to and fro past and present.
Du-hyun Yoon (Art critic, Curator)
