Whitestone Gallery presents Silent Fire, the first solo exhibition in Korea by Kazuyuki Futagawa, an artist rooted in the tradition of Japanese painting, on view from March 7 to April 12. This exhibition marks the first introduction in Korea of Futagawa’s artistic world, which has long explored the essence of Japanese painting, and focuses on the deep relationship between nature and humans.

Futagawa expands Japanese painting traditions by mainly using mineral pigments. These pigments, formed deep in the Earth over millions of years, carry the memory of nature and the origin of color. For Futagawa, they also act as a way for nature and humans to connect. Through the textures of minerals, changes in light, and the subtle marks of tiny, scattered particles, he shows the “natural passage of time” in his works. As color spreads across the surface and the brush moves in subtle ways, the line between nature and humans slowly fades, inviting viewers to quietly immerse themselves in the experience. Distinguished by his meticulous depictions of nature, Futagawa’s work captures diverse landscapes, such as the moss-covered island of Yakushima and the tranquil countryside of England rendered through the visual language of Japanese painting.

Silent Fire explores the presence of a “silent fire” concealed within nature. This does not refer to a visible flame, but rather to an inner heat that endures deep beneath the surface, without sound or form. By layering mineral pigments, Futagawa creates layers of time and existence on the canvas through which invisible forces become perceptible. As the artist states, “The roots of my art lie in the coexistence of humans and nature.” By suggesting human presence through silhouettes rather than direct representation, his work reveals both the harmony between nature and humanity and the subtle tensions and sense of solidarity that emerge through human intervention. Spanning approximately fifty years of artistic practice, this exhibition invites viewers to quietly confront the enduring relationship between nature and humanity.