The
sculptures of Tomoaki Suzuki (born 1972 in Mito, Ibaraki, Japan) reinvent the age-old eastern traditions of Japanese wooden sculpture. Inspired by London's way of life, where he has been living since 1999, Suzuki produces meticulously detailed portraits of various urban youth reduced to a third of their actual size scale. Striking hieratic silhouettes standing on their own, these sculptures evoke contemporary ways of life and sartorial styles by updating the age-old Eastern traditions.
Like the 19th century flâneur, Tomoaki Suzki observes the “in” crowd of London, and casts upon these people an anthropological eye questioning their impact on our lives, as well as their ephemeral side.
Tomoaki Suzuki studied at Tokyo Zokei University before earning his MA in Fine Art from Goldsmiths College, London and his MA in Sculpture from City & Guilds Art School, London. He has been the subject of solo exhibitions at the Museo Marino Marini, Florence (2011); the Towner, Eastbourne, UK (2010); SCAI The Bathhouse, Shiraishi Contemporary Art Inc., Tokyo (2010) and Corvi Mora, London (2008).
