Masashi Ozawa solo exhibition “Alive, Somehow”

WISH LESS gallery is delighted to announce the Japanese painter Masashi Ozawa’s solo exhibition “Alive, Somehow”. Ozawa’s scenes are composed of elegant, sensual moments where reality and fiction interplay, bringing to light the hidden undercurrents of various human relationships and subtle discomforts. A woman reclining in a pensive pose, with a man’s legs placed beside her. A female figure gazing at the viewer with a vacant stare. Whilst these images appear captivating at first glance, they also evoke a sense of unease in the viewer. It is akin to the sensation one experiences after watching a film, when a particular scene refuses to leave one’s mind, prompting repeated self-reflection. This occurs because the viewer visually interprets the oscillation between ideal and reality―or perhaps the absurdity―seeping from the canvas and uses it to reflect on their own position.

Motifs considered symbols of universal ideal beauty―such as women, plants and musicians―are intricately composed within the canvas by Ozawa, revealing in a multi-layered manner another aspect of the subjects: the vulnerability, precariousness and instability that lie hidden within.

We hope that through this exhibition, many visitors will be able to appreciate Ozawa’s keen insight and flexible sensibility, which, through his paintings, draw our attention to the inner conflicts and silent cries of our own hearts, with their multifaceted nature of strength and weakness.



[　STATEMENT　]
We are living in this era.
Violence and war persist and lies and vanity abound.

With the advancement of AI and technology,
our values and sense of purpose continue to waver,
and the future sometimes appears to be shaped more by anxiety than by hope.

Yet people, in their own places,
in their own ways,
struggle on, seeking quiet happiness.

Exposed to the realities of daily life,
they persevere nonetheless.


[　PROFILE　]
Masashi Ozawa　　@masashiozawa　
Painter. Born in 1980 in Ibaraki, Japan. Graduated from the Department of Science of Design at Musashino Art University.
His work centers on motifs such as women, flowers, plants, and musicians, which he interweaves across the canvas in rich, vibrant colors.
Ozawa has also collaborated extensively with the music industry, apparel brands and restaurant interiors.