Minoru Ohira: Iki and Yabo

Offramp Gallery is pleased to present a solo exhibition, Minoru Ohira: Iki and Yabo from January 10 – February 7, 2016. There will be an opening reception for the artist on Sunday, January 10 from 2-5pm and a closing reception on Sunday, February 7 from 2-5pm.

Iki and Yabo consists of two new bodies of sculpture by Minoru Ohira. The Japanese word “iki” is defined as smart, chic or refined; while “yabo” is defined as unrefined, rustic or uncouth. Both concepts and the fine line that delineates them were at the forefront of Ohira’s thinking as he masterfully crafted the works for this exhibition.

In the east gallery is an installation constructed from sleek wooden i-beams, cinder blocks, wire mesh, nuts and bolts, all carved by Ohira from yellow cedar, a light and fragile wood which stands in stark contrast to the heavy building materials depicted.

In the west gallery are several new stand-alone sculptures by Ohira. Carved, bent and found wood pieces support curved frameworks skinned with thousands of overlapping wood chips, reminiscent of the thatched roofs of Ohira’s native village of Kurokawa, Japan. Touches of slate harmonize with the natural, rustic look of these pieces.

Ohira has exhibited extensively at galleries and museums in the US, Mexico and Japan and is in the collections of The Hara Museum of Contemporary Art (Tokyo), the Honolulu Museum of Art, the Long Beach Museum of Art (Long Beach, California), the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, the National Gallery of Thailand (Bangkok) and the National Museum of Art in Mexico.

In 2013 Ohira was the recipient of the prestigious 26th Denchu Hirakushi Award for the art of wood carving. In 2009 he was awarded the 36th Teijiro Nakagawa Award, the first artist residing outside Japan to be honored with the award.

A collaboration between Minoru Ohira and Michelin-starred chef Mori Onodera, Art & Sushi: Minoru Ohira and Mori Onodera, will be held on Sunday, January 24 from 1:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.

Minoru Ohira: Iki and Yabo is Ohira’s second solo exhibition at Offramp Gallery.

Offramp Gallery, 1702 Lincoln Avenue, Pasadena, (626) 298-6931 or visit www.offrampgallery.com.