EVENT DESCRIPTION
I.F. Gallery presents Between Worlds, a solo exhibition by Japanese sculptor Akio Ohmori and the first concurrent showcase across their Hong Kong and Singapore gallery. This exhibition presents the core of Ohmori’s honest desire for his sculpture to not simply occupy, but inhabit space.
Ohmori’s practice is rooted in close observation and craft. Meticulously studying anatomy, bone structure and stories of creatures across cultures, he creates animal forms, both natural and mythical that breathe – as if created by a divine hand. His sculptures, usually made in natural wood, seek to bring new life to once living material. Ohmori not only considers the structural anatomy of animals, but also movement. In traditional animal sculptures, birds remain perched on their stands, and fish suspended above their bases – stripped of freedom. Ohmori leverages material to reclaim a sense of dynamism that convinces viewers of their presence and belonging, using mirrors to allow his birds weightless flight; glass becomes a liquid expanse for drifting scales. His use of these materials is about creating a space where the subject can feel most at ease and come alive.
While the artist has yet to visit Hong Kong, in 2020 Ohmori created special commemorative items for the 35th anniversary of Hong Kong SOGO. With hundreds of these pieces now scattered throughout the city, he feels as though a part of him already resides there.
