BORBAY

Friend and fellow artist Ari Lankin invited me to join the Guggenheim Young Collectors Council on their visit to Ushio Shinohara‘s studio. We were treated to an intimate afternoon with the artist, his lover – Noriko, and a live Boxing Painting (action below.)

Following our studio visit, we made our way back to Ethan Cohen Fine Arts in a fleet of town-cars to experience Shinohara‘s work in a gallery setting. After the jump, a photographic recap.

A couple of heavily pop-influenced Shinohara works created in the 70s and 80s.

Ari reads up on the artist, as Gallery Director Ethan Cohen educates the YCC about Shinohara.

Ushio‘s black cat strolls daintily in front of the soon-to-be-punched canvas; a calm before the storm.

Ethan Cohen warns the crowd – this could get messy.

Ushio and Ari share a few words before it is go time.

Shinohara gloves-up with help from his son – the moment captured for a forthcoming documentary on Ushio and Noriko, created by Patrick Burns and Zachary Heinzerling.

A group admiring the process, including Sandhini Poddar (red shirt), curator of the wildly successful Anish Kapoor “Memory” exhibition at the Guggenheim.

Ushio flexes the guns following his display of boxing art; an interesting fact, he paints from right to left and claims a blank state-of-mind while he punch-paints… this came up later in the evening.

The charming Noriko shares that many years ago, Ushio discovered his current palette of neon colors on her canvas, and went running with it.

A wheel for one of Ushio‘s gigantic motorcycle sculptures, made from found objects around Canal Street.

Ari and I (Borbay) in front of the Boxing Painting created by Ushio moments earlier (a still wet canvas.)

Ethan and Shinohara discuss an ongoing drawing display for the audience, and the cameras.

YCC member Stephen, Guggenheim Individual Development Coordinator Jeff Taylor, and Ari watch the action.

Discussing his work, I asked Shinohara if he did in fact punch-paint devoid of emotion and intention, why would he reach so deliberately high up on the canvas… if he was punching someone to defend himself, he surely wouldn’t jump, punch, pause and resume… we left the topic at ‘good question’ and moved onward.

Noriko shares one of her works with the group. All-in, this was a terrific event. Many thanks to Ushio and Noriko, Ethan Cohen, The Guggenheim Young Collectors Council, Ari for the invite, Sandhini Poddar for some wonderful insight throughout the evening, new friends and Patrick Burns for including me in his documentary footage.