31 MAY - 21 JUNE
In our third edition of the invited artists series at Opera Gallery Geneva, we are excited to showcase the exceptional talent of Japanese artist Etsu Egami. This initiative empowers artists to curate their own exhibitions, and Egami's exhibition, titled 'Lifeline,' brings together 11 recent works that offer a unique perspective and showcase her distinct artistic style
When we gaze upon Etsu Egami's creations, a curious phenomenon unfolds. We find ourselves grappling with a unique ambiguity, unsure of what exactly meets our eyes. While this might typically pose a challenge when interpreting representational art, in Egami's case, it morphs into a deliberate intrigue — a sort of enigma or intricate puzzle that underlies her expansive, brushstroke-rich canvases. Her art bridges the realms of figurative painting and illusionism, culminating in a fresh and captivating aesthetic encounter.
Life lives, life dies (on the day of our death).
Perhaps the lifeline is a trajectory of life and death as a whole, or a boundary between life and death.
In my work, the line is the most important element.
There is always an awareness of the 'lifeline' at the foundation.
By expressing empathy with the subject through physical movement, and by shifting, shapes emerge.
In the case of portraits, I try to depict the person's life, the pulsation, breathing, and the trajectory of life, and the energy that spins into the future.
In my works, the lifeline both separates and connects.
Etsu Egami
Life line - Can you hear the fetal movements?2024
Oil on canvas
196.5 x 285.5 cm | 77.4 x 112.4 in
Etsu Egami
Life line- Can you hear the fetal movements?2024
Oil on canvas
137 x 199.5 cm | 53.9 x 78.5 in
Etsu Egami
The Little Mermaid2024
Oil on canvas
168 x 118 cm | 66.1 x 46.5 in
Etsu Egami
Lady Godiva2024
Oil on canvas
91.5 x 115 cm | 36 x 45.3 in
Etsu Egami
The Little Mermaid2024
Oil on canvas
79.5 x 62.5 cm | 31.3 x 24.6 in
Etsu Egami
Social Distancing2023
Oil on canvas
199.5 x 136.5 cm | 53.9 x 78 in
Etsu Egami
RAINBOW2024
Oil on canvas
68.5 x 49 cm | 27 x 19.3 in
Etsu Egami
RAINBOW2024
Oil on canvas
79 x 63 cm | 31.1 x 24.8 in
Etsu Egami
RAINBOW2024
Oil on canvas
68 x 48.5 cm | 26.8 x 19.1 in
Etsu Egami
RAINBOW2024
Oil on canvas
108 x 77 cm | 42.5 x 30.3 in
Etsu Egami
RAINBOW2023
Oil on canvas
116 x 92 cm | 45.7 x 36.2 in
Etsu Egami (b. 1994 in Chiba, Japan) lives and works in Tokyo. She studied at the Karlsruhe University of Arts and Design in Germany and at the Central Academy of Fine Arts in Beijing. She has shown paintings in major art hubs internationally. Her work has already entered the collection of institutions including CAFA Art Museum in Beijing, Moscow's Garage Museum of Contemporary Art, and E-Land Foundation in Seoul and has been exhibited at the Guggenheim Museum in New York, USA, at the Hiroshima Wood One Museum, Hiroshima, Japan, at the Chinese Academy of Oil Painting Museum, Beijing, China, at the UCCA Center for Contemporary Art, Beijing, China and at the Research House for Asian Art, Chicago, USA among others. From 16 June - 15 July 2024, Etsu Egami's work will be exhibited at the Roppongi Museum in Tokyo, Japan in a group exhibition called Miss Dior - Stories of a Miss and will be featured the Dior permanent art collection.