CRACKED UP! exhibition at Art Beatus Gallery Vancouver
ページ下 日本語訳 (Japanese translation below), text by Tamla Mah
A solitary egg painted on each canvas presents viewers with an ever-recognizable constant, yet there are also noticeable differences in the slight shape or presence of each egg and the more obvious variations in colour. “There is something magical about creating the same thing over and over again. It is almost like looking at the moon every night. The changes in the moon’s nightly appearance always inspire me to create something new from the same thing.”
Junichiro’s ‘EGG’ Paintings were inspired by his ‘Sick in Japan’ series which was developed while Iwase was living in Tokyo; the works featured a character named St (pronounced S.T.) who claimed ‘Japan was sick’. A satirical look at modern-day Japan, no one really knew if the character’s point of view was based in a social, economic or political way but the works did receive some criticism; viewers questioned whether the opinion of the character reflected the view of the artist; some even suggested Iwase was anti-Japanese. While continuing with the same subject matter, the artist softened the appearance of his paintings by changing the colours and materials used for the work; the reverse occurred in which viewers thought the paintings to be cute. Iwase thought the effect to be humorous and began striving for middle ground. “one day, St’s eyes fell out and became an egg….” The character, St died and eggs, one, two, three, began to appear on the canvas.
岩瀬の「卵」シリーズは, 「Sick in Japan」 と主張するSt(エス・ティーと読む)というキャラクターが登する、東京在住時代に製作された 「Sick in Japan」 シリーズからアイデアが生み出されたものです。この 「Sick in Japan」 シリーズが持つ現代日本への風刺的視点、それが社会的、経済的、政治的、どの視点によるものなのかは誰にもわかりませんでしたが、批判の対象となることが度々ありました。作品を見た人たちは、Stの主張はアーティストの意見が反映されたものなのかと疑問に思い、岩瀬はアンチ日本ではないかという声も出ました。その後、同じ題材を描き続けてはいましたが、色使いや材料を変えることによって少し穏やかな作品を生み出すようになりました。かわいらしい作品だというコメントが増えたことを岩瀬は面白いと思い、中立の立場を保とうと努めるようになりました。「いつの日か、Stの目玉がこぼれ落ちて卵なる・・」そしてStというキャラクターは去り、卵が一つ、二つ、三つとキャンバスに現れるようになったのす。