Hanshan and Shide are believed to have lived in China during the Tang dynasty. Although they immersed themselves in writing poetry, they dressed in rags and engaged in eccentric behavior. In reality, however, they were the bodhisattvas Manjushri and Samantabhadra. Like characters from a fairy tale, the two have attracted and been depicted by many artists throughout history. Similarly, Yokoo Tadanori found Hanshan and Shide to be an ideal image for an artist, leading him to make a total of 102 paintings of the two over an approximately one-year period.
This exhibition takes up where the last one, Forward to the Past: Yokoo Tadanori’s Road to Hanshan and Shide, left off. Yokoo’s quest, which began with his new interpretation of a work by Soga Shohaku, evolved in a free-wheeling manner as he projected Hanshan and Shide onto a wide range of imagery. These included ukiyo-e-style pictures of beautiful women, floating Belorussian lovers, and a group of marathon runners.
All of these new works are being shown in this museum for the first time. Enjoy viewing today’s Yokoo who, even after a painting career of 40 years, only grows stronger.
Also on View: YOKOO TADANORI COLLECTION GALLERY 2024 Part1
MORE
