HISAJI HARA‘A photographic portrayal of the paintings of...

In the series, A Photographic Portrayal of the Paintings of Balthus, Hisaji Hara brings together two modes of artistic expression. An important collection of works, including still life’s, has been selected from this series for Hisaji Hara’s first solo show at Galerie Alex Daniels. Hara has embraced the traditional process of albumen silver development, as well as more contemporary technology that converts digital data into inkjet prints. Works created through these contrasting methods are to inhabit the same space in this exhibit, allowing viewers to travel between the realms of painting and photography, the analog and the digital, time-honored métier and modern innovation, thus engaging them in an exploration of many borders. The series is based on a thorough investigation of the European master’s oeuvre. The artist recreated the canvases through careful staging design, converting the original context into scenes steeped in Japanese nostalgia. Hara’s work suggests an alternative means of merging digital techniques with historically established traditions, thus inheriting the legacy of past artistic practices with the most advanced technology of our day.

© Hisaji Hara