Toru Kuwakubo: Travel / Voyage / Journey / Trip to Remote Islands
Exhibition
Contemporary artist Toru Kuwakubo solo exhibition will take place in Taiwan. In Kuwakubo’s previous series of works, he created an identity “Kuwoud Bonet” to perform renowned artists throughout art history by mimicking their artistic styles. As for this exhibition at Nunu Fine Art, it follows his concept in his previous works, and is inspired by the scholar of folk customs, Tsuneichi Miyamoto's book "Trip to Remote Island.”（離島の旅） Kuwakubo imagined himself as eight significant experts from different fields. Then he created and painted down the imaginary islands according to their professions on book covers. Kuwakubo also recreates the essential items in each field as souvenirs to represent the islands.
The eight figures that Kuwakubo picked were mathematician Leonhard Euler, composer Érik Satie, writer and physician Arthur Conan Doyle, political philosopher Thomas Hobbes, inventor of basketball James Naismith, genius chef Taillevent, perfumer Jean Claude Ellena and calligrapher Wang Xizhi. He investigated the figures and their professions on the internet and read books related to the figures extensively. Kuwakubo internalizes his researches and transforms them into his inspiration. Through his reflection on each figure, it triggers the concept of creating the islands, leading the viewers to join in a journey to each island as if they are traveling in person.
Artist
Toru Kuwakubo