Masako Torii: Petals in Snow Blending into Water Surface

We are delighted to announce the solo exhibition of Masako Torii, titled “Petals in Snow Blending into Water Surface.” The exhibition will be held from March 11th (Monday) to March 23rd (Saturday). We cordially invite you to immerse yourself in the enchanting world of Masako Torii.




Artist’s Statement:
I stroll along unfamiliar paths with vigor,
Sometimes, crunching through unknown trails.
Flowers bloom.
They cascade into my view as vibrant patches of light,
Scattered like grains of sand on the shore.
I scrutinize, distinguishing sand from flower with care.
I gaze at the sky. Clouds turn to snow,
Drifting down slowly, torn apart.
The flowers at my feet merge with the snow,
Melting, mingling, forming new blooms.
Eventually, the snow melts, flowers blanket the water’s surface,
Water springs forth around the blossoms, turning marshy,
Mixing with the sea.
Unbeknownst, I search for underwater blooms,
Strolling with energy, sometimes weary, sometimes brisk.




“In the Depths of Memory: Masako Torii’s Art Reveals the Essence of Life”

The sensation of feeling constantly driven by something each day, the anxiousness of being left behind if not actively engaged, and the regret of wasting time on seemingly uneventful or unproductive days—when did we start living with such sentiments as part of our daily routine? Perhaps, as we age, as our remaining time in life diminishes, are we designed to be ensnared by these sentimental obsessions?

Yet, not just the elderly but increasingly the youth seem to embark on life as if it were a race for survival, without ever looking aside. The mundane scenes of our everyday lives pass by like meaningless images, leaving no trace behind. Thus, memories of strolling along the shore collecting seashells or leisurely afternoons spent walking slowly soon fade into oblivion, with no attention paid to them. It’s simply the modern human condition: extracting and accumulating only the necessary information to survive, while the rest drifts away into the realm of forgetfulness.

Masako Torii gathers these abandoned fragments of memory. They are humble, personal experiences, fragments of a transient world in a corner. However, through Torii’s hands, the mundane landscape of memories transforms into a flood of colors and shapes that blanket the world, shimmering in a cascade of radiant light. Plants vie with one another in the vividness of their hues and the complexity of their forms, while water and atmosphere blend seamlessly in weightless space. It’s as if we are surrounded by such captivating beauty, yet fail to find value in it, sounding a warning to us against leading mundane lives amidst such mesmerizing allure.

Of course, realizing this fact doesn’t change the world. Yet, there are moments when that realization briefly halts our steps. In those sudden instances, like a pleasant breeze passing through, we truly feel alive.

Torii’s paintings speak of a world that cannot be neatly categorized, one filled with mysteries beyond imagination. They remind us, amidst our hectic routines, that there is time worth living for.

(Masahiro Yasugi, Researcher at the National Museum of Art, Osaka)