Maeda Saki, 24_27, 2024, 130 x 162 cm, Photo by Yasuyo Takahashi
Maeda Saki
Interplay
May 10- June 7, 2025
Opening Reception: Saturday, May 10, 17:00-19:00
Tuesday-Saturday 12:00-19:00 (Closed on Mon, Sun, Public holidays)
Press Release
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MISA SHIN GALLERY is pleased to announce Maeda Saki’s solo exhibition Interplay, on view from Saturday, May 10 to Saturday, June 7. The exhibition introduces a new body of work, including Maeda’s first exploration into drawing. Known for her abstract oil paintings, her practice has deepened in recent years, and this exhibition offers a unique opportunity to present the current trajectory of the artist’s work.
At the core of Maeda’s work lies a subtle yet dynamic tension and harmony that arises between composition and chance, abstraction and materiality, and sensation and reason. Diagonal lines that cut across the canvas, overlapping layers of triangles, and precisely controlled fields of color together form structures that are simultaneously balanced and bear the potential for constant transformation. The quiet depth that emerges from the surface evokes sensations of moving between two- and three-dimensional space, reminiscent of afterimages of perspective drawings or unfolded origami patterns.
A particularly notable aspect of Maeda’s work is her distinctive use of the painting knife. The resulting textures veil the surface like frosted glass, inviting viewers to imagine what lies beneath. Her color palette—anchored in blues and complemented by gold, silver, white, and black—creates optical fluctuations that invert light and shadow, foreground and background, adding layers of depth to the viewing experience.
The newly presented drawings emphasize improvisation and lightness, revealing a distinct quality from her oil paintings. While the media and techniques differ, the compositional sharpness and quiet tension inherent in the surface of the paper function as a basso continuo running through Maeda’s work, illuminating the trajectory of her conceptual thinking.
The exhibition title Interplay signifies “mutual influence” and “interaction.” Without merging, elements such as oil painting and drawing, line and surface, matière and physicality resonate, expanding the world of Maeda’s work. This exhibition invites viewers to engage with her latest exploration and the rich dialogue embedded in her practice.
Maeda Saki, 24_27, 2024, 130 x 162 cm, Photo by Yasuyo Takahashi
Detail : Maeda Saki, 24_27, 2024, 130 x 162 cm, Photo by Yasuyo Takahashi
Detail : Maeda Saki, 24_27, 2024, 130 x 162 cm, Photo by Yasuyo Takahashi
Maeda Saki, 25_11, 2025, 72.7 x 60.6 cm, Photo by Yasuyo Takahashi
Detail : Maeda Saki, 25_11, 2025, 72.7 x 60.6 cm, Photo by Yasuyo Takahashi
Maeda Saki, line_2025, 2025, 18.7 x 14.6 cm, Photo by Yasuyo Takahashi
Maeda Saki, line_2025, 2025, 18.7 x 14.6 cm, Photo by Yasuyo Takahashi
Maeda Saki
Born in 1993 in Fukui Prefecture. Graduated in 2015 from the Department of Fine and Applied Arts, Oil Painting Course, at Kyoto University of the Arts. Using only a palette knife, she applies dozens of layers of oil paint, attempting to visualize a history that has been continuously overwritten. Her major solo exhibitions include “Accumulating as we pass by” at YUKIKOMIZUTANI (Tokyo, 2022) and GALLERY TOMO (Kyoto, 2019), along with a permanent public art installation at the banks of the Asuwa River in Fukui Prefecture (2025). Her works are held in the collections of DMG MORI Co., Ltd. And OCA TOKYO (Mitsubishi Estate Co., Ltd.).