The 17th Shiseido Art Egg Award has been awarded to Nomura Zai.
Launched in 2006, this award is a public program supported by the Shiseido Gallery, aimed at promoting “new discoveries and creations of beauty” by emerging artists. For the 17th edition, artists Maki Hayashida, Nomura Zai, and Hirotoshi Iwasaki will each hold solo exhibitions from January 30 (Tuesday) to May 26 (Sunday), 2024. After the exhibitions, Nomura Zai was selected as the award recipient by a panel of judges, including artist Kengo Kito, musician/artist Shuta Hasunuma, and mythologist/professor Kikuko Hirato from Kokugakuin University. Zai was recognized for their pursuit of the clear themes of human existence, record, and memory through diverse techniques, as well as for their skillful spatial interpretation and sophisticated exhibition design, which encourages viewer participation and inspires a desire to revisit the evolving artworks.
Born in Hyogo Prefecture in 1979, Zai Nomura is an artist currently based in Kobe and New York. Following the loss of family members during the Great Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake in his teenage years, he has sought to reveal the themes of life and death, as well as the space in between, through a diverse range of mediums, including photography and sculpture.
His exhibition titled “Your Existence Will Never Fade, So It’s Okay – It’s OK, the fact you exist will never fade even though this universe will be gone -” showcased a photographic apparatus that prints images of the deceased onto water and a performative work that has been imprinting human DNA for nearly 90 years. The exhibition presented a unique perspective on the intersection and transformation of past, present, and future, questioning the essence of humanity and the nature of existence. It provided a space for viewers to engage with the art and find resonance with its themes.
Zai Nomura‘s Comment:
This award is not just mine.I believe it represents the experiences of each individual who supported this exhibition, as well as those who came to view and participate in the work. Their experiences have been gently acknowledged as a new surface of art. I will continue to gaze at this world and live in relation to my work.
Thank you very much.
