JPS Gallery is delighted to present Ephemerality and Sparkle, a solo exhibition of Arisa Nakahara, on view at the gallery’s location in Hong Kong. The show marks the international debut of the artist, presenting a series of new paintings that explores an influential personal experience that shaped her attitude towards life and death.
In the presented show, Arisa explores her interest in the concepts of life and death, showing a series of monochrome and coloured paintings that documented her quest in finding answers to her problems and doubts. Through the stories told by the women in her portraitures, Arisa reconciles the revelation of the intractability of fleeting time and the coexistence of life and death. By reflecting on her personal experience, she discovers the meaning of life and cherishes the present by living life to the fullest.
Academically trained in traditional Japanese painting, Arisa synthesises traditional painting techniques with lived experience and English literature, exemplifying her position as a woman in the globalised world. In Birthday (2021), she drew her motifs from Lewis Carroll’s famous fantasy fiction Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland. Relating the distorted time and space in the story to reality, Arisa finds herself assuming the role of the White Rabbit character who is constantly concerned about time. Transporting through the rabbit hole, Arisa invites the audience to explore the fantastical yet finite everyday life.
Combined with her contemporary woman sensibility, in this series of deeply personal paintings, Arisa pushed the limitations of traditional Japanese paintings with her contemporary perception, inviting the audience along to her journey in finding the spark in the mundane.
About Arisa Nakahara
In her portraits, Arisa Nakahara filters traditional Japanese ink wash painting techniques through a contemporary cosmopolitan woman sensibility. By weaving the cultural influences of the East and West together, Arisa creates imageries that build from the foundation of traditional Japanese paintings and shed them in the light of the present.
Many of Arisa’s works drew influence from her personal experience, approaching through the lens of a contemporary woman in the world, creating motifs and themes that reflect the lived experience whilst breaking the limitations of the traditional genre.
Born in 1984 in Okinawa, Japan, Arisa earned a BFA and MFA in Japanese Painting from Tokyo University of the Arts. The artist is currently based in Tokyo.
About JPS Gallery
Established in Hong Kong (2014) and in Tokyo (2018), JPS Gallery is an independent
contemporary art gallery presenting works of emerging and established artists from around the world.
The gallery was founded with a passionate spirit that dedicates to the new digital age and the exploration of fine art and pop culture. We aim to create an innovative environment for a new generation of artists and collectors, fostering a creative space for all. We focus on fun and playful works of the era that span across different medium and disciplines, showcasing a discerning selection of works that embody the aesthetics of today.
We are committed to supporting the culture and art scene both in Hong Kong and Japan, creating a vibrant local art community. The gallery regularly presents works of emerging artists in
our gallery spaces in Hong Kong and Tokyo as well as international art fairs, giving them a platform to gain global exposure and supporting young artists to launch their careers. JPS has also been an active contributor to society and the local art scene by sponsoring various charity
events and auctions.
JPS Gallery
Shops 218-219, 2/F, LANDMARK ATRIUM, 15 Queen’s Road Central, Central, Hong Kong
