Kenichi Yokono

Opening Reception: Saturday, April 4th, 5-7pm

Mark Moore Gallery is pleased to present highly anticipated new work from Japanese artist Kenichi Yokono. Yokono presents his highly detailed, meticulously carved woodblocks, finished in stark white and contrasting blood red, as an end product rather than producing multiple prints. In doing so his sophisticated work encompasses and speaks of the traditional past of his native land as well as its contemporary pop culture, while addressing internationally relevant questions of globalization and consumerism. The stark, minimal colors belie these complex themes and the often unsettling nature of his subject matter. Fueled by horror movies and Manga, his works frequently edge towards the sinister, depicting unidentifiable scenes that invite the viewer to imagine the worst, letting their minds wander to the darkest possibilities of sex, the paranormal and death. Ultimately the woodblocks strike a powerful balance between their superficial visual appeal and the intangible draw of morbid curiosity; each work a remarkable mix of cultural reflection, psychoanalysis and social commentary.

"Raw, vibrant and irreverent, the works have one foot in the pop-dominated present and the other in the tradition-bound past."
Leah Ollman

Kenichi Yokono graduated from Kanazawa College of Art in Kanazawa, Japan. Since exhibiting his work as a self-represented artist at the Pulse Contemporary Art Fair in New York in 2006, Yokono has exhibited across the United States. His work has been included in numerous art fairs and in 2007 he had his inaugural solo show at the Mark Moore Gallery. In 2009 he will have major exhibitions in Los Angeles, Vienna and Amsterdam. His work has been reviewed in publications such as the Los Angeles Times. Yokono lives and works in Kanazawa, Japan. This will be his second solo show at the Mark Moore Gallery.