Hiroshi Sato, Format

Sato is a storyteller, he takes us on a visual journey, following his ideas through inspiration; chapter by chapter to create a personal narrative. Using visual cues to show the inspiration behind the series: his camera, and all of the fleeting moments it captures. In the digital age, not even the traditional medium of oil paint is free from digital manipulation, starting with the initial inspiration image. From there, he creates the perfect color balance before embarking on the paint application. It is this intensive and technical process that creates a sense of dynamism and depth in the work.

Despite the use of modern technologies, there is a romanticism that is an heir to the centuries of painters who have used the medium. Still life painting, figurative works and landscapes have inspired painters for many years and Sato is a fan of making his inspiration the focal point of the pieces. In Format, he shows us the information he has gleaned from years of looking: at other artists’ work, at those around him, glimpses of interactions, light cast across a room and the way objects interact with each other.