Shigeo Toya Forest – Lake:Regeneration and Memory

One of Japan’s leading sculptors, Shigeo Toya has spent his career reconstructing the very concept of “sculpture” in a dedicated exploration of what exactly constitutes sculpture. Etched deeply in his works carved from wood by chainsaw are critiques of the modern world, insight into the human condition, memories of the land, and incredible imagination when it comes to the natural world.

For Toya, “forest” is synonymous with “sculpture” and a creative wellspring that has served as his core language for perceiving and molding the world. At this exhibition, inspired by the temporal and spatial qualities of a venue situated beside an artificial lake created by damming the Yoro River, Toya presents works on the themes of forest, land, and waterways, with a focus on the vast void of the museum’s atrium space.