Beginning Monday, May 8, 2023, NOMA, an artist based in Korea and the UK, will hold his first exhibition in Japan, "Contemporaryman_21stCentury's Mona Lisa," at +ART GALLERY.
plus art co., ltd. (English name: plus art co.,ltd; Shibuya-ku, Tokyo; Representative: Taku Nitta), which develops its business under the theme of enjoying contemporary art, will hold "Contemporaryman_21stCentury's Mona Lisa," the first solo exhibition in Japan by NOMA, an artist based in Korea and the UK, at +ART GALLERY.
■About NOMA
Beginning Monday, May 8, 2023, we will invite NOMA, an artist based in Korea and the UK, to hold an exhibition of his "Contemporary Man_ 21st Century's Mona Lisa" series.
NOMA is an artist based in Korea who works mainly in oil painting.
He presents his work centered on "Contemporary Man_ 21st Century's Mona Lisa," exhibiting not only in Korea but also across the EU and elsewhere. With collaborative works created together with renowned groups and more, his pieces have become increasingly difficult to acquire worldwide.
While he uses oil paints in his work, he adopts a distinctive technique that includes the use of a gas burner.
<NOMA's SNS>
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Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/p/CpAUkTZJ81Z/
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Introduce Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aOJY2cYq01c
■About "Contemporary Man_ 21st Century's Mona Lisa"
His series title borrows from the "Mona Lisa," and depicts us, the people of the present age (the 21st century). In the era when Leonardo da Vinci painted the "Mona Lisa," photographic technology did not yet exist, so he closely observed the "light," "shadow," "form," "facial expression," and "beauty" of the natural world, carrying out meticulous research. He also struck a balance between realistic and artistic expression in pursuit of the freedom of artistic expression. Just like da Vinci, NOMA expresses in painting the "inner reality" of us human beings of the 21st century.
By expressing himself as the Mona Lisa of the 21st century (the present age), he aims—just like the realistic expression da Vinci painted—to depict the human inner self.
His works are highly acclaimed not only for their concept but also for their expressive power and artistic quality as works of art.
*This is plus art's interpretation of information obtained through interviews with the artist himself.
■STATEMENT BY NOMA
"Contemporary Man_ 21st Century's Mona Lisa"
In order to live as ordinary people, we sometimes hide our true selves.
It is as if we were wearing a thick coat even in the heat of summer.
At times, we wander about and forget who we are and why we are panting for breath in this space.
For people of the present age, to yearn for a future never yet experienced, or to wish to hold onto hope by an artificial, unreal light (such as an LED), is like a mirage in the desert—difficult to realize and far from reality.
And while landscape painters find it difficult to depict the human form, they can express the essential desires and feelings of present-day people through landscape painting.
A painter of night scenes longs for complete darkness.
They depict human emotions that have not yet been expressed, and paint complex scenes that are difficult to convey.
Is it not because the people (and their emotions) that cannot be captured by merely painting the landscape are being overlooked?
By depicting not only the landscape but also unexpressed human emotions, one can express the essence of present-day people.
This is the starting point of the "Contemporary Man_ 21st Century's Mona Lisa" series.
The human inner self cannot be captured by the eye, but the artist depicts an explosive energy in his own language.
Emotions provoked in an instant can reach an abyss that cannot be defined in words.
That expression may be dust flying through the air, or a mass of acrylic paint firmly fixed to the canvas.
■Overview
Exhibition: NOMA Japan Solo Exhibition "Contemporary Man_ 21st Century's Mona Lisa"
Dates: Monday, May 8, 2023 – Sunday, May 21, 2023
Admission: free
Purchase: Works may be purchased on a first-come, first-served basis. If you would like a list of works, please inquire by email (staff@pls-art.com) or via Instagram.
*Advance purchases and reservations are given priority to +ART GALLERY Online Shop members and related parties.
Venue: +ART GALLERY (Shops & Restaurants 14F, Shibuya Scramble Square, 2-24-12 Shibuya, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo 150-0002)
URL: https://pls-art-shop.com/
Organizer / Venue: plus art co., ltd.
■A Comment by NOMA
I am NOMA, an artist creating my work in Korea.
Within the figures of ourselves living as people of the present age, I express the hidden emotions that could not be brought to the surface—through the reality of the figure and a distinctive approach to expressing emotion.
I am NOMA, as artist based in Korea. Through my works, I express the hidden emotions that we cannot easily show in our daily lives as contemporary individuals, using the unique approach of portraying emotions with a sense of reality.
I hope that those who view my works can feel, even for just 30 seconds in front of them, the small hidden emotions within themselves—and the slight yet honest emotions, too.
I hope that those who view my works can feel the small hidden emotions within themselves, as well as the sincere and subtle emotions, even if it is just for 30 seconds in front of my artworks.
■Career / Exhibitions
