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ささやかな叫び A Modest Scream
 
soh souen ‘A Modest Scream’
Dates: Saturday 21st November 2020 – Sunday 27th December 2020
Venue: The Mass (5-11-1 Jingumae, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo)
 
The Mass presents ‘A Modest Scream’, a solo exhibition by artist soh souen from Saturday 21st November to Sunday 27th December. Having previously worked under the name of Hajime Kuwazono, this exhibition will be the artist’s first exhibition since adopting the name of soh souen. The exhibition will present a variety of works including ‘tie’, the most recent pieces from the ongoing portrait series the artist has been producing since 2019. The exhibition will also debut souen’s abstract pastel works from the series ‘etude’ and ‘caress and hug’, as well as a three-dimensional installation titled ‘ my body, your smell, and ours’.
 
 
I, others, pain (as close to pleasure as possible) body, healing
 
These are the words I wrote in my notebook when this exhibition was decided.

I don’t want these phrases to lead the viewer into a predetermined view of the works, however, As the word ‘healing’ implies, my thoughts all revolved around the idea of hope.

While feeling the body’s recovery, feeling the intensity that the work of healing holds
And painting each picture, I feel as if I have touched something that carefully cherishes the fragile folds and hollows of existence.
 
A faint, delicate light, that overflows 

Its brilliance and texture a testament to the fact that it is alive Drawing; the body’s blessing
Something that should never be let go until the end.
 
soh souen (Excerpt from artist’s statement, October 2020)
 
The ‘tie’ series presents pixelated portraits of the artist’s acquaintances, using an ID photograph of the subject, the image is then abstracted to form a collection of oil painted dots. Within each individual 6mm square dot it is possible to see the delicacy of the painting technique and the precision of the grid composition; these are a result of Souen’s unique approach to the canvas, a process that express the words and thoughts that are derived from the significance of souen’s existence and relationship with others. The contrast between the soft tones and the margins allow the viewer’s eye to connect the images, simultaneously showing the fragility and strength of the works themselves.
 
An exhibition catalogue will be published to coincide with the exhibition.
 
soh souen was born in 1995 in Fukuoka, Japan. Since graduating from university, souen has
consistently continued his pursuit for modern painting production as an entity with the body. His
previous series ‘body to body’ centered on the identities of the body, myself, and others. He has since
expanded his range of expression to include ‘tie’ and ‘caress and hug’. The exhibition will be souen’s
first solo exhibition at The Mass since participating in the 2018 group exhibition ‘PORTRAIT’.