In Seiji Sonoke’s works, there are no clear objects that immediately captivate the eye. Presenting no traces of tangible form, the works often leave viewers perplexed. Yet, this absence of form is also the most defining characteristic of Sonoke’s practice, and the primary reason it is often seen as esoteric. What, then, is the purpose of such works? Sonoke’s answer comes without hesitation: to create an ideal space. Does this refer simply to a space that would be comfortable for the artist? This space undoubtedly does express the artist’s inner world. However, it is also much more. To Sonoke, such a realm is a primordial space, much like the astrophysical state of the universe prior to the Big Bang, charged with the tension of all things yet to be formed. Simultaneously, it encompasses the principles of the human world, beauty and ugliness, good and evil — all elements that may stir human emotions. Sonoke finds affinity between his art and the Zen Buddhist concept of “ku” (emptiness). The space he aims to create is a primordial plane at the very foundation of being, from which all phenomena and objects originate. 

Opening Reception: 12 July, 4:00 pm – 7:00 pm

Gallery address: G/F, Ivy House, 18-20 Wyndham St, Central