Whitestone gallery is pleased to announce “Impression O: Kohei KYOMORI Solo Exhibition” from December 24 2022 to February 18 2023. Kyomori has consistently introduced the essence of decorative arts in his unique expressions by exploring the possibilities of our visual language today.

Kyomori's work has been critical of the art trends from the 1960s and favors a more 'conceptual' approach to art. As an antithesis to this trend, the artist dives deep into the decorative elements of ancient and modern craftsmanship, including architecture from the East and West, collecting patterns and symbols to converge them into a present-day visual language offering new possibilities in non-Western art. What kind of visual messages influences our emotions? This question imposes the artist to explore the interrelationship with the visual expression and our visceral reactions as they serve as a device to inspire, uplift, entertain, or devastate.

The “O” in the exhibition title has a double meaning that not only refers to the title of his new “O” series but is a convergence of two words: “awe” and "oh"; which describes an interjection expressing the range of emotions which in this case, is a mixture of fear and reverence. Kyomori re-examines the messages and impact using the knowledge we have when referring to the significance of symbology in the otherworldy and mysticism. This exhibition presents a variety of original themes and perspectives that confronts Japanese historical and traditional spirit across Kyomori's repertoire featuring a rare collaboration with Kyoto’s woodblock printmakers (UNSODO, 1891), a series using shibori indigo dye engrained with wabi-sabi aesthetics, and countless works that speak of a union in the semantic complexities of our contemporary visual language.