Hong Kong
Exhibition: Playful Scramble in Dragon’s Lair
Hayaki Nishigaki Solo Exhibition
龍穴中的趣味混合
西垣肇也樹個展

22 February – 17 May 2025

A day in Hong Kong 在香港的一天, 2025
Sumi ink, gold leaf, pigments, mineral pigments, Japanese paper, wooden panel, 97 x 197.4 x 3.5 cm
© Hayaki Nishigaki
 

wamono art is excited to hold the first solo exhibition on Kyoto-born artist Hayaki Nishigaki in Hong Kong. This show will feature new works from Nishigaki’s representative series: Rakuchu Rakugai-zu (A Day), Hyakkiyako (Night Parade of One Hundred Demons), Enso (Circle), Taki (Waterfall), and Sansui (Landscape). Notably, new works created with a Hong Kong theme from Rakuchu Rakugai-zu will be unveiled for the first time.

Nishigaki reinterprets Rakuchu Rakugai-zu – originally created between the Muromachi and Edo periods – through a modern lens. Historically, Rakuchu Rakugai-zu depicted Kyoto from a bird’s-eye view, showcasing groups of tourists, townspeople’s troubles, and famous places, etc. Nishigaki honors the classical elements, such as golden clouds and townscapes, while incorporating various issues of modern society into his works, sounding a humorous warning against the trend of instant consumption. Nishigaki’s works consistently express a sense of “misalignment,” depicted as a vivid story of people who are honest with their desires. By arranging contradictory elements, Nishigaki aims to expose the “evil spirits and monsters (Chimimoryo)” hidden behind the liveliness and startle the viewer.

Inspired by the playfulness that he felt when he actually got a bird’s-eye view of Hong Kong Island from the Peak, Nishigaki has created a collection of new works specifically for this exhibition. The term “Dragon’s Lair ” in the title refers to auspicious lands in Feng Shui, believed to harbor potent power (Qi) and bring good luck, prosperity, economic benefits, and social status to residents. In Hong Kong, clusters of high-rise buildings strategically positioned along mountainsides reflect this belief, blending advanced technology with ancient Feng Shui principles. Nishigaki explores this juxtaposition, highlighting Hong Kong’s contrasts: its rich history alongside rapid economic growth, and the layers of time and culture that coexist. These dynamic and multifaceted aspects are at the heart of his latest creations.

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About Hayaki Nishigaki

1985　Born in Hyogo
2012　M.F.A. Painting, Kyoto University of Art & Design
Nishigaki plans and manages the Kyoto Sento Arts Festival to redefine the significance of art festivals through public baths and the surrounding environment, and creates ink paintings of Godzilla, as a vessel of the Japanese as a defeated nation, using traditional Japanese methods such as shan shui and enso, crossing domains to pursue the possibility of expression.
He works and leads a shared studio “STUDIOHAIDENBAN” in Fushimi, Kyoto since 2015. In recent years, participated in Artist-in-Residence program in Qatar and NY, held a solo show at Ronin Gallery in NY. He received the Suda Award at the Kyoto Exhibition in 2016, and the Grand Prix and SNBA Award at the Shibuya Awards 2017. His works are in the collection of many important companies, including Ryobi Holdings, Mitsubishi Estate, DMG MORI, Universal Music Japan.

wamono art 很高興能夠在香港舉辦出生於京都的藝術家西垣 肇也樹的首次個展。這次展覽將展出西垣代表系列中的新作品《洛中洛外圖》(一天)，《百鬼夜行》，《円相》(圓)，《滝》(瀑布)，《山水》。值得一提的是，以香港為主題的新作品《洛中洛外圖》將會在這次展覽首次亮相。

西垣透過現代視角重新演釋了最初在室町時代和江戶時代之間創作的《洛中洛外圖》。歷史上，《洛中洛外圖》是以俯視的方式描繪了京都，展示遊客、居民的煩惱、名勝等等。西垣運用了古典元素，例如金色的雲和城市景觀，同時將現代社會各種議題融入作品中，對速買現象的潮流發出幽默的警告。西垣的作品一向都帶一種違和感，描繪了人們誠實面對自己慾望的生動故事。西垣的目的是透過混合不同矛盾的元素，揭露隱藏在熱鬧背後的“邪靈和怪物（魑魅魍魉）”，讓觀眾感到震驚。

西垣在山頂俯視香港島時感受到的趣味，啟發他專門為本次展覽創作了一系列新作品。標題中的「龍穴」一詞指的是風水中的吉祥之地，人們相信它蘊藏著強大的力量（氣），為居民帶來好運、繁榮、經濟利益和社會地位。在香港，高樓大厦有策略性地沿著山坡分佈反映了這一信念，將先進技術與古老的風水原則融為一體。西垣探索了這種並置，強調了香港的對比：豐富的歷史與快速的經濟成長，以及時間的累積和文化共融。這些充滿活力和多方面的元素是他最新創作的核心。

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西垣 肇也樹

1985　出生於兵庫縣
2012　藝術碩士（主修繪畫）, 京都藝術大學
西垣策劃並管理京都錢湯藝術節，透過公共浴池和周邊環境重新定義藝術節的意義，並以山水、円相（日本傳統哲學思想，禪宗，與開悟、空性、自由、無心狀態有關）等日本傳統手法創作了代表日本戰敗的哥斯拉水墨畫，跨領域追求以作品作為表達方式的可能性。自 2015 年起，他在京都伏見工作並領導一個共享工作室 “STUDIOHAIDENBAN”。近年來參加卡塔爾和紐約駐場藝術家計劃，並在紐約Ronin畫廊舉辦個展。他2016年獲得京都展須田獎，在澀谷獎2017獲得大獎和SNBA獎。他的作品被許多重要公司收藏，包括兩備控股、三菱地所、DMG MORI、環球音樂（日本）等。