Yoshihiro Suda "Rose," 2003, Painted wood
Painted wood Courtesy of the artist, D'Amelio Terras, New York, and Gallery Koyanagi, Tokyo

Yoshihiro Suda "in focus""

The Japanese penchant for appreciating nature, materials, details, and small objects is at the core of Suda's work. His intimately scaled carvings recall the art of netsuke, a small decorative toggle often made of wood, ivory, or other precious materials that was popular during the Edo period (1600-1868) in Japan. Suda's work is also firmly rooted in the contemporary practice of installation. He strategically places his small sculptures--which might be in the form of a clump of weeds or a single rose--in unexpected places, such as a crack on a wall or a window frame. Suda's installations transform the way we view his artworks and their surrounding environment.
This exhibition is Suda's first solo museum exhibition in New York. For this installation, he has created a new sculpture based on a magnolia blossom he found in Central Park; it is displayed alongside seven pieces of the artist's choosing from Asia Society's Mr. and Mrs. John D. Rockefeller 3rd Collection of traditional Asian art. The installation unites both nature, as a motif in Suda's work, and culture, as represented by the masterpieces of the Rockefeller Collection. By presenting this new work in a traditional museum setting and surrounded by traditional artworks, Suda refocuses our awareness of the exhibition space. In the artist's words, "I think art can change our perspective and ways of thinking. It encourages us to see things that we otherwise might miss."
In Focus is an ongoing series of exhibitions, in which contemporary artists are invited to create new works of art inspired by Asia Society's Mr. and Mrs. John D. Rockefeller 3rd Collection. (text by Miwako Tezuka, Asia Society Museum)

Exhibition Info
Date: Oct 6, 2009 - Feb 7, 2010
Place:Asia Society
Address: 725 Park Avenue at 70th Street New York, NY 10021