NEW YORK CITY–FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 

Tranquille
Hugo Galerie – Soho
Featuring Chizuru Morii Kaplan
10 April–21 May 2023

    

HUGO GALERIE is pleased to present Tranquille, a solo exhibition featuring the water worlds of Chizuru Morii Kaplan. The ebb and flow of her meditative watercolors give us glimpses of the built and natural environment as if through the tide’s reflections.

Whether urban facades or flowers, Kaplan’s subjects harbor a drama subdued by their emergence from ripples. Sculptures of stone no longer appear stoic under the artist’s gaze; they seem to swell, given life by the never-still drips of her dried paint. The monuments rendered lose all their hard edges and none of their strength—on the contrary, they are the epitome of strength.

Today’s world of the media frenzy often forgets the power of poise. Drama, fluster and bluster, might gain someone 15 minutes of fame but it won’t pen any names in history books. In fact, the constant barrage of competing voices has raised their volume beyond unintelligible—they have become background. Strength is not the storm but the ability to weather it. When everyone is shouting, it is the whisper that is heard.

Kaplan’s structures take shape like puzzle pieces coming together, encouraging your mind’s eye to wander as it fills in the rain-streaked rivulets across architectural wonders. We don’t merely look over her paintings, though. We look into them. Past the layers, the shadows, the petals. You can almost hear the pitter-patter against a windowpane, lulling you into a deep sense of peace. But at some point the pitter-patter becomes heartbeats and the outside world reflected in puddle splashes becomes the inner world surfaced on mirror glances.

The mystery of a doorway. The romance of a sculpture. The exquisite beauty of a single peony. A path through the woods invites a journey to the self. A tour of some of the greatest cities—New York, Paris, Venice—leads us within. The elegance of Kaplan’s watercolors amplifies the importance of introspection and serenity. She reminds us the racket is a racket. Her paintings dim the din. And if you listen closely enough, the voice you hear will be your own.

HUGO GALERIE is a fine art gallery in New York City specializing in contemporary figurative painting and sculpture. The gallery represents an international roster of artists working in a variety of media and range of genres. Please direct inquiries to info@hugogalerie.com.

Windows of Venice III, watercolor on Arches paper, 52″ x 37″ (132 x 94cm)
Peony Series III, watercolor on Arches paper, 103″ x 44″ (262 x 112cm) each
Santa Maria di Nazareth II, watercolor on Arches paper, 22″ x 30″ (56 x 76cm)

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