Exhibition of New Works of Transcendental Skill that Intersect Light and Shadow

Chris Berens's Solo Exhibition "THE GREAT BELOW" is held at MEGUMI OGITA GALLERY until April 27, 2024. In his first solo exhibition in Japan in seven and a half years, he invites the viewer into a subtle and profound alien world, where light and shadow intersect. In 1999, Berens completed his illustration studies at the Academy of Art & Design in ‘s-Hertogenbosch, the Netherlands. He shot to fame in 2005 with his first major solo exhibition at Jaski Gallery in Amsterdam and has since exhibited worldwide, including at MEGUMI OGITA GALLERY in Tokyo (2013, 2016), New York, Los Angeles, Seattle and Singapore.

Berens paints details in fine brush and ink on small pieces of paper, then attaches another piece of paper and paints over and over again, which causes him to suffer from tendonitis, and yet he is elaborately able to construct the entirety of his work. In addition to his hand-painting technique, which makes imaginary landscapes come to life, and his unique expression of nostalgia through out-of-focus and lens distortion effects, which are supported by a high level of concentration, in recent years he has also made digital image creation part of his technique. Berens’ portraits, which also show the influence of Rembrandt and Johannes Vermeer, are like a subtle and profound alien world, where light and shadow intersect beyond time and space. Meanwhile, he cites the belief in spirits and fantasy in traditional Japanese culture as one of his inspirations.

The exhibition will feature 32 new paintings, mixed media on panel. With each brushstroke, Berens’ work seems to grow through repeated cell division, speaking to the viewer as an organism that connects the artist’s inner world with reality.