Press release
Hideyuki SHOJI wins People’s
Choice Award at the Signature Art Awards 2011
Title of Work: “Carpe diem (cod)” ⓒHideyuki Shoji
Size: H83xW59cm,
Material: Ink on paper, Gold leaf, acrylics
If
the everyday is the realm of the unnoticed and overlooked, however, it might be
asked just how we can attend to it? How do we drag the everyday into view?ds
(Stephen
Johnstone, The Everyday)
In the summer of 2011, Hideyuki SHOJI made a new accomplishment
with his work, “Carpe diem (cod)”, at the forefront of London’s
contemporary art scene and this work is currently being exhibited at the
Debut Contemporary which in Notting Hill in London.
Hideyuki Shoji is an up and coming Japanese contemporary artist,
who currently lives and works in London. Through his works, Shoji endeavors to
raise simple questions to the discreet phenomena of everyday life – to explore
the answers for these simple questions; Shoji creates art works that often
arises from the manipulation of everyday material through the ideas influenced
by those of Martin Heidegger.
Shoji tackles this concept
through a unique combination of various media; he makes an abnormal alteration
to ordinary objects before putting it back into the day-to-day situation. His
sculptures are made using ordinary materials, suggesting alternative points of
view within a normal social situation. Through everyday trivial objects, such
as fish, fruits, chewing gum or clothing, the artist attempts to generate
surprises or simply establish a unique narrative by exploiting their unnoticed
and overlooked elements within the complexities of everyday life.
As he continues
further to develop unconventional perspectives on the everyday objects, he has
now begun to incorporate and exercise his interests in the performance arts
incorporated with his sculptures. He actively plays around with social
structures through his sculptures to highlight out-of-the-ordinary situations,
often amusing, which would otherwise be the seen as the mere everyday.
His work has been
showcased in group exhibitions in Japan, UK and Germany and recently won the
People’s Choice Award in 2011 at the Signature Art Awards in London
and was also shortlisted in 2002 for the Yoshiwara Jiryo Awards in Osaka,
Japan.
In Carpe diem series, Shoji exploits fish fillets bought from a
supermarket, another ordinary object, to propose an alternative meanings and
narratives through symbolism. It is one of the works from this Carpe diem
series that won the People’s Choice Award. The image of the fish on top of the
gold leaf background signifies the relationship between life and death and
their proximity, as well as their connection with our everyday lives. Carpe
diem means “seize the day” in Latin and aims to remind us that death stays
close with us in our everyday lives and this fate cannot be avoided. Death can
arrive at any moment, so enjoy life while we can!
Note to Editors:
Debut
Contemporary showcases new works by a group of internationally bold and
incredibly talented
contemporary
artists. Samir Ceric and Zoe Knight are the Co-Founding couple behind
enterprising businesses;
Debut
Contemporary, Wolf & Badger and Salon Contemporary, which are located in
the heart of London’s
notoriously
stylish and bohemian Notting Hill district.
The 2011 Signature Art Awards has come to
it's coveted climax, as the finalists are exhibited in our August Group Show
and the winner is announced among thousands of spectators at the private view.
Recently graduated artists from all over the U.K. and abroad have submitted their
signature piece into the competition. With only four winners in the categories
of Sculpture, Photography, Painting, and Mixed Media the event is sure to be a
wonderful display of our talented artists of the future.
For more
information on Hideyuki Shoji please contact following address: 7Hubberd Road, London,
SE27 9PJ, Tel: 0757 892 6676 (mob), Email: pikapiso@hotmail.com
For further
information and interviews with Samir Ceric and Zoe Knight, in addition to any
of the Artists involved,
please contact
Sophia Victoria at: Debut Contemporary, 82 Westbourne Grove, London, W2 5RT,
Tel: 020 7221 1651, Email: sophia@debutcontemporary.com