104GALERIE (Ikejiri-ohashi, Tokyo) is holding The roots of lotus, the first solo exhibition in Japan by the Italian artist Rudy Cremonini, from February 1st to March 17th 2019.

Rudy Cremonini was born in Bologna, Italy in 1981, and is currently based there, after graduating from the Accademia di Belle Arti di Bologna (The Academy of Fine Arts Bologna). His exhibitions have been held in the Royal Palace of Caserta (2018, Italy), Galerie Thomas Fuchs (2017, Stuttgart, Germany), Belgrade City Museum (2017, Serbia) and many other places such as the US, France, Germany and Belgium. He has gained international acknowledgement though solo and group shows around the world and received a variety of awards.

Cremonini’s work pulls apart the ordinary and the everyday, exposing the contradictions that lie beneath them. Landscapes, interiors, figures in portrait, plants and animals, and plaster figures lined up: the images depicted are, at first glance, extremely ordinary. However his fundamental themes are the contradictions and dilemmas of life – the negotiation between being ‘good’ and being truthful to one’s emotions, the renunciation of certain freedoms in exchange for security, and the joy to be found in sacrifice. In his vague descriptions, developed in creamy thick paint, there are always metaphorical elements that are suggestive of personal emptiness and solitude.
Yet as suggested in the title The roots of lotus, it can be said that Cremonini’s creation originates from the joy of exploring the nature of representation itself, which is not loud or flashy, and expressing its essence and charm.

This exhibition shows a comprehensive window into Cremonini’s work since 2013, including around 20 pieces of various sizes, in 104GALERIE and 104GALERIE-R. Additionally, a limited number of Cremonini’s artbook, released by Gli Ori for the large solo exhibition held in the Royal Palace of Caserta in 2018, will be on sale.
The artist will be present at the opening reception. We look forward to welcoming you.