A solo exhibition of Iori Nagashima, titled "Tone" will be showcased from 8th March 2024.

A person who depict any common, ordinary scenery as if it is like in the silver screen―for me, that is what Iori Nagashima, the artist is.

Even though every time I identify the work painted by him from it carrying "scent of a narrative," whatever and how the motif is depicted, I am always amazed that the impression I get from it changing like back and forth each time.

Sometimes it looks like esteemed strangely (I don't know if this is the right word, but anyway, it doesn't look like painted by a young artist - a bit like classical painting, if anything), sometimes it looks natural and fresh, and the next time I see them, it look like esteemed again, and the next time...

Unlike the blurring that tends to occur in artists in the process of developing their own style, I have always looked at his balance with a sense of wonder, as it seems to be a strong-willed exploration, perhaps even intentional, including technique.

He began his work as a student surrounded by many professionals, and spent his time of change attracting people’s attention, the fact that he has remained a sincere and powerful artist should had been like walking along a narrow precipice or following a ray of light. I thought this was made possible by his tough spirit and conviction but shown his free and pure mind in the words Nagashima wrote for this exhibition, and I look forward more and more to the path he will walk in the future.

"I feel sadness that time is passing by, and I start to paint to replicate its figure on canvas and then I figure out what I want to do is to paint. I start to paint and erase over and over, and the painting get a bit movement."

"I move many times. Between the desire to capture and to paint, the real world and the world in the picture.
"Tone", this exhibition is on the theme of that going and returning."
"to capture" and "to paint."

If what lies between these two words is the intentional (or secondary) insertion of his perspective, then what he wants to depict is probably not just what he saw, but the feelings, emotion and experiences of the moment putting into a pure form.

If it is, there must be many more ways to give form to his work as a landing point for 'painting'―going back and forth, exploring freely.

Nanako Yamamoto