This painting (Earthquake / Terremoto) by the late Japanese artist Tetsuya Ishida sold at Christie’s to a private American buyer for almost $350,000 U.S., 10 times the anticipated base price – demonstrating the never-ending popularity of this surrealist painter.
His fame comes not just from his reputation as a maverick but also for his brilliant characterizations of Japanese society and the personal isolation that resulted from the country’s economic downturn through the 90s. “Ishida captured the feelings of hopelessness, claustrophobia, and emotional isolation that burdened him and that dominated Japanese society during this era,” wrote Nick Simunovic of Gagosian Gallery, Hong Kong, site of one of this artist’s exhibitions.
His deeply unhappy characters are often entwined with buildings or machines, are representative of his view of Japan as a soul-less, mechanized society. Ishida died in 2005 after being hit by a train in an incident thought to be a suicide, ending his 10-year career.
There is an excellent short documentary (link to Vimeo, below) by author Mitch Cullin, about his quest to learn more about the elusive Japanese artist.
[SUB]URBAN — An Unauthorized Introduction to Tetsuya Ishida from Workshop Lo-Vi on Vimeo.
Ishida’s website, with all his works, here.
Ishida’s fan Facebook page, here.
Categories: Painting
Canadian Art Junkie 
Whoa. Catching up on months of posts … these are very strong, very depressing.
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Wow, Tetsuya Ishida can really set a mood in a painting.
Very strong point of a machine / societal world of Japan.
What a true artist, expressing his feelings in every work.
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Reblogged this on Think Happy Everyday.
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wow.
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Wow… what anguish…. awe-inspiring artist, really.
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Reblogged this on Robert Guerrero and commented:
awesome artist 🙂
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Wow. Gonna tweet a link to this if that’s okay with you. Thanks for this.
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Reblogged this on yofumoenpipa.
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Oh my. I’m speechless.
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Hello Nice Team! I am very very busy… Too many places want my Pandas… Macao…Gandzou …Shanghaî …Beijing… Seoul…? Best Regards. Paulo…
Le 28 avr. 2014 à 15:33, Global Art Junkie a écrit :
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Reblogged this on poesiaincodice.
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Deeply powerful and imaginative work. So sad too.
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Sad indeed, especially because he felt the isolation personally, which affected how he ended his life.
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His work is so oppressive and sad, ripping into the heart of Japan. I’m drawn to it because of it’s raw emotional quality.
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That’s so well expressed Lynnette – “ripping the heart of Japan” is absolutely what he did.
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