He expresses that “endless desire of humans” by using animals as a symbolic motif.

Artist Statement
“The exhibition tile “Animal Realm” is one of the six worlds where a soul transmigrates in Buddhism idea. The “Animal Realm” where the brutes like cows and horses live is located in the third from the bottom among the six worlds. However, it is the world without help as they are forced to live with their instinct and used by human begins. I decided to use animals as the primarily motif for my creation at first, but the reason why I got interested in this subject is because the sense of distance between human beings and animals and the diversity of relationships attracted my interest while I observed the events among our lives and world.

Generally speaking, we tend to imagine one way relationship such as ruling and controlling as the definition of the animal realm when it comes to the idea of human versus animals, especially livestock or pets. However, as humans impose all kinds of desire to animals and involves them, the relationship seems to become sometimes equal, to be reversed or to be changing in various forms. It is also sometimes serious or absurd, and it changes the figures to many situations.

I think people’s desire is clearly shown in animals called “pet” living in our everyday life of ours. The desirable sense of distance is lost and collapsing on one hand. On the other hand, a look with a full of desire mostly shown in the form of personification becomes stronger and stronger. It seems to me a microcosm of the relationship between nature environment and human beings.

Although I personify many animals in my paintings, I would like to be negative towards personification. With the method of personification, however, I now want this to be a means of negating such a perspective. All the animals in my paintings act expressionlessly and in an apathetic manner and also in a corps, which removes individuality. This is because of what I aim at.

I would like to continue to express the relationship between animals that live indifferently everyday under control of humans, in harsh nature, in unfair environments and in paradise-like environments and endless desire of humans including me who I want to control it somehow. “

Shuntaro Kubo
born in 1986, Saitama Japan. 2008 B.A. Musashino Art University, College of Art and Design, Japanese painting. 2010 M.A Musashino Art University, College of Art and Design, Japanese painting

* The text provided by Gallery Terra Tokyo.

Period: April 23 - May 21, 2011
Venue: Gallery Terra Tokyo
Opening reception: Saturday, April 23, 2011, 18:00 − 20:00