KEY HIRAGA AT FRIEZE MASTERS
THIS YEAR AT FRIEZE, Loevenbruck GALLERY PRESENTED a rediscovery of Key Hiraga's works from the 60’s and the 70’s ( I’ve added a few other of my favourites by the artist).
His work is EXPLOSIVE, CONTEMPORARY, PROVOCATIVE and yet MIXED WITH TRADITIONAL JAPANESE TECHNIQUES that explore THE EROTIC THEMES the artist was so passionate about (with a touch of humour, WEIRDNESS and A psychedelic style I love so much).
Hiraga was Born in Tokyo in 1936 AND WAS RAISED IN MORIOKA. HE GRADUATED FROM TOKYO UNIVERSITY BUT DECIDED TO BECOME A SELF TAUGHT PAINTER AND WAS Selected for the First Asian Young Artists Exhibition in 1957. In 1964 he was awarded the New Artist Prize at the National Exhibition, Tokyo Metropolitan Museum and was granted the Grand Prix to study in Paris. THIS IS CRUCIAL CAUSE FROM AN EARLY AGE, THE ARTIST SHOWED AN “INTERNALISED" FIXATION FOR NIGHTLIFE, SO HIS MOVE TO PARIS FROM 1965 TO 1977 DEEPENED HIS FASCINATION AS THE PIGALLE DISTRICT IN PARIS WHERE HE LIVED (KNOWN FOR ITS SEX SHOPS AND INTENSE NIGHTLIFE) BECAME ONE OF HIS MOST IMPORTANT SOURCES FOR INSPIRATION. It was here he fought against the imposed moralism of society.
It became the breeding ground to paint a monstrous and grotesque human comedy where erotism and gender is questioned as in the expressionist works of Richard Lindner. Hiraga had the strong will to preserve the importance of the lowest instincts of the human being and its animal nature in order to fight against the castrating morality and the mechanization of the modern society. Hiraga left behind this vision of a constant mutating body.
His inspirations were affiliated with the literary movement, the Buraiha group, a group of authors also knows as "The Decadents". THEY rejected both pre-War literary traditions and the imposition of American social values under post-War occupation. In 2000 shortly before his death, the Key HIraga Museum was established near his home to honor the fascinating life and work of this artist.
If your Interested read more here: