Year: 2015
Medium: mixed media on lacquered panel
Dimensions: 140 x 190 cm (55 1/8 x 74 3/4 in.)
Acquired from SBI Art Auction, 2024
As indicated by the title, this work belongs to Sodi’s series utilizing urushi lacquer. In Japan, urushi (lacquer) is well-known as a material for crafts. Sodi, who has a long-standing relationship with Japan and a profound understanding of its culture, consistently creates works that engage with nature. His use of urushi, an organic coating material with exceptional strength and durability, might seem to align with his dynamic artistic style. Yet, in this piece, he defies such simplistic expectations, using urushi as an undercoat in the panel that acts as support rather than on the surface, leaving the material hidden from view. After being carefully coated with layers of urushi and polished into a glossy, mirror-like surface by craftspeople, the panel is deliberately carved and distressed, creating a roughly textured surface for the vibrant red and purple paint to adhere to. Lacquered wood shavings and paint are mixed into a paste, forming amorphous circles scattered across the surface—reminiscent of small islands floating in the ocean, or scabs that have hardened into a reddish-black color. It is said that Sodi first encountered urushi through Jun'ichirō Tanizaki’s “In Praise of Shadows,” and in this work, he layers colors inspired by cherry blossoms on top of the material. According to Tanizaki, it is in darkness that the true beauty of urushi is revealed. He praised the elegant sight of urushi in dim light, barely visible, admiring how it delicately emerges from the darkness. This work, with rough textures concealed beneath dark cherry blossom hues, sparks the imagination to go beyond that which meets the eye.
