
MONOGUSA SHUI
- Publisher
- Akio Nagasawa Publishing
- Year
- 2023
- Specifications
- Hardcover, Cloth binding
207 x 216 mm
84 pages
Text in Japanese / English
Limited edition of 600 copies
Stamped by the artist and numbered
The complete version of a body of work that includes 48 pieces serialised over two years from 1980 in a Japanese monthly, together with 13 shown in an exhibition in 1982.
“Thinking up titles is a cumbersome process, and most of the time a good one doesn't easily spring to mind. In my case the work doesn't even have clearly defined themes, something like the problems of Japanese farmers or pollution-related diseases for example, so long story short, titles aren't really important to begin with. However, an untitled piece is in a way like a person without a face, and in order to avoid that awkward situation I usually rack my brains to come up with something. My work right now revolves around the idea of trying to capture both humans and objects based on a perception that avoids emotions such as love and hate or joy and sorrow, and reduces them as much as possible to purely inorganic things. While I don't think this will produce any brilliant ideas or prime philosophies, I would like to try and see what comes out when I just look at things with no contemplation or supposition whatsoever. So the plan is to investigate into these kinds of things, whereas the subjects should be as ordinary and commonplace as possible, anything that may lie around. I will pick up the pieces and make something of them.” — Issei Suda, 1980