Artist Talk: Wednesday, January 12, 2022 at noon on Zoom.
Kensuke Koike is a contemporary visual artist working at the intersection of photography, collage, and sculpture. In Dear Friend, Koike deconstructs vintage photographs or postcards to create new images by cutting, pasting and reassembling by hand. Many of his works visually transform in utilizing the approach of “nothing added, nothing removed,” by rearranging the pieces and parts, into something completely reimagined. Koike’s eye for the surreal reinvents found imagery into surprising and delightful objects. His “renewed” photographs challenge the viewer’s expectations with new associations that reveal humor, curiosity, absurdity, and beauty.
“If I have many ingredients in my refrigerator, I can cook everything I want. But some ingredients may never be used. If I find only a carrot inside, I must cook it in the best way possible by chopping, grating, roasting, boiling, frying, drying, etc. With many ingredients I would probably never discover that the carrot itself can be such a delicious ingredient.”
- Kensuke Koike
Kensuke Koike (Japanese, b. 1980) was born in Nagoya, Japan and is currently based in Venice, Italy. Koike has exhibited nationally and internationally, including Postmasters Gallery, NYC, USA; The Photographer’s Gallery, London, UK; IMA Gallery, Tokyo, Japan, among others. Koike studied at the Academy of Fine Arts, Venice, Italy (1999-2004) and IUAV University, Faculty of Arts and Design, Venice, Italy (2004-2007).
Visitor information: Open Wednesday - Saturday from 12-5 pm. A viewing appointment is needed for Saturday. Full vaccination (including booster) or a recent negative COVID test within 48 hours is required for entry.
Kensuke Koike, Laundry, 2018, Altered postcard, 5.8" x 4" (5.4" opened)
Alt text: A beige color postcard with a picture of a bronze male statue on it. The statue is cut out of the postcard from the head below and the cutout dangles to the right of the postcard