Thereʼs no meaning in these figures
If one abandons oneʼs self
what remains behind are simple lines and circles and such
Without intention
Ardent movement takes place when hand meets paper
Itʼs like peering inward at the primitive origin of oneʼs being
AONA HAYASHI
Aona Hayashi was born in Japan in 1989. In addition to working as an illustrator for magazines and advertising, she has also been active as a painter since 2016.
Hayashiʼs paintings are abstract and sumi ink-based. She moves her hands single-mindedly in an unconscious state to produce lively lines and primitive shapes such as circles and triangles. Her works are described as “diagrams” rather than “pictures”. In other words, Hayashi does not imbue her works with any message. What is important is simply to look and feel. When confronting her works, our senses are liberated.
Hayashiʼs works invite the viewer to return to a primitive spiritual state. With this anthology you can enjoy primitive expression that goes beyond black ink, shapes and national boundaries.
This anthology compiles past works from the solo exhibitions “Tenten” (2017), “BOTTLE, APPLE” (2018) and “CHROMONO” (2019). Additionally, the book features new works produced specifically for this publication. The layout makes bold use of expansion and trimming, bringing together disparate periods and series. The anthology is designed by Akinobu Maeda, a graphic designer who has worked on magazines such as “POPEYE”.
Black with light and shade, reproduced in triple black
A highlight of this anthology is its monochromatic printing by YPP. Typical monochromatic printing uses a single impression, but here three impressions are made with a triple black technique using black ink on each of the impressions.
By layering black ink on black on black, the power of actual sumi ink is produced. The touch of the paintbrush and the depth of sumi ink also faithfully reproduce the qualities of the original work. On top of this, the cover is manually foil-stamped by a specialist artisan.
AONA HAYASHI
Born in Ishikawa prefecture in 1989, currently residing in Tokyo. Attended a studio in sculpture and painting from early childhood. Upon graduation from Kuwasawa Design School in 2010, began working as an artist of books and advertisements, focusing on still lifes in sumi ink. Her abstracts originate from simple lines and circles, drawn in a state of near quiescent consciousness. She regards them as an exploration into the essence of being, detached from the self.
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Design by Akinobu Maeda
First Edition, Only 1600 copies
Physical Info: H285 × W285 | 120 pages| Hardcover | Bilingual (JP・EN)