Message from mvhudnall

[Anonymous]

Last weekend I drove out to LA (I'm an OC guy) to see the Shinjo Ito Exhibit at the Westwood Art Forum. Check out the two posts above for a link to his website, and through that the westwood art forum. The site also contains pictures of the work, though not necessarily every one, or in as stunning a fashion as shown in the exhibit.

One of my favorite works was the Achalanatha. It was combined with two other works that were not shown on the website or the small catalog I purchased. The other two were similar figures that when viewed together were very powerful. The faces were simultaneously quite human and monsterous.

Two of the pieces truly seemed to possessed of life: a huge "Head of Shakyamuni", and a gorgeous dancing "Queen Maya, Shakyamuni's Mother". The Queen Maya almost seemed to be in motion as you viewed it. The lighting was exquisite, and enhanced the work even further. The edges of the raised arm and floating leg were crested in light, blurring the edge and causing her arm and leg to almost seem in motion. The Head of Shakuamuni was harder to define. It was no trick of subtle lighting, but pure skill in sculpting. The head was so fleshy, realistically dimensional, and subtle in expression, that it felt like it would at any moment turn its head, or the neck flex as it takes a breath.

I have two other favorites at this exhibit, and they are favored not only due to their appearance, but also due to the invitation by the viewer to interact with the work. I've always appreciated artists who provide opportunities to recieve a physical experience with a work of art, and in this exhibit there were three pieces set aside for this purpose. A copy of the foot from the giant buddha (check out the website), and two lovable characters named mahakala and ebisu. Ebisu is the Japanese god of fishermen, good luck, and workingmen. Mahakala I'm less clear on. This sculpture appears to be a more unusual representation having only two arms, and a less monsterous appearance. This god is a remover of obstacles from the path of enlightenment. Ebisu is shown on the website. Mahakala is similar in stature, but holds a bag and a hammer instead.

In regards to his other work. I feel that Shinjo Ito's strongest medium was clay. While his brass works were okay, they did not allow him to utilize his full skills and talents as you are able to see in his clay, plaster, or in some cases resin works. Other than the first two images mentioned, his best work are the clay busts of contemporary zen buddhist masters. The individual personality and expressiveness were wonderful.

His abilities seemed to break down somewhat when dealing with the full body, especially in smaller works. Some of the small works were expressive, but had over or under sized heads, small legs, and almost nonexistent hips to connect the legs to torso. Proportion problems also existed in a couple of the larger busts, but the overall quality of the works were high enough to forgive the minor flaws.

Overall I was highly impressed. It was religious art, so be expected for that, but I really liked what I saw. One thing I thought was interesting is that they included casts of the same work in different mediums and using different finishes. It really demonstrated the differences that can occur in detail and the viewer's emotional response. Go see this one. Its free even!

-Mathew Hudnall
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