Meguru Yamaguchi - Emilio Cavallini: Untainted Abstraction

GR Gallery is proud to present: “Untainted Abstraction”, a duo show featuring artists Emilio Cavallini and Meguru Yamaguchi, collaborating together for the first time. The exhibition will unveil 20 artworks by the two internationally known artists from Italy and Japan. Beside showcasing an unanticipated new body of works, the show will reveal a limited edition print and a 3-d wall sculpture edition, appositely conceived for this event. The artists are also organizing a design planning that will throw the visitor in a timeless world of energetic purity, thanks to an interactive and immersive installation completed by a potent and clean wall painting.

Opening reception: Wednesday September 5, 6:00pm - 9:00pm (Exhibition Dates: Sept 6 –Oct 14, 2018). Members of the press can contact GR gallery in advance to schedule a private viewing and/or an interview with the artists.

GR Gallery, 255 Bowery (btw Houston & Stanton), New York, NY 10002

“Untainted Abstraction” aims to highlight the uncommon esthetic approach to abstraction shared by the two artists. A style focused, through the use of new and trailblazing media, simultaneously on strength and elegance. Both Meguru and Emilio, even if with different concepts and developments, share a mutual background and carrier as fashion designers, that strongly influence their artistic procedure. The echoes of Japanese and Italian historical traditions whisper over their creations, capable to reinterpret this heritage, using cutting edged techniques, sharp and wide open aesthetic visions and an up to date passion for visual details and profound contents. The essential of ancient calligraphy mixes with the power of urban art and the culture of the Renaissance blends with the elegance of the contemporary fashion design.
The juxtaposition and overlapping of several layers of Nylon yarns, cotton threads and printed fabric, wisely sewed by Emilio Cavallini through an acrylic frame gives birth to elegant geometric 3-d compositions, perfectly executed conceived following numerical systems and mathematical formulas but inspired by the orderly perfection and the color palette Renaissance Masters like Piero Di Cosimo, Rosso Fiornetino and Pontormo. These creations get engaged in a spontaneous dialogue with Meguru Yamaguchi artistic approach, in which the purity of traditional Japanese calligraphy and the strength of the Gutai group abstraction, mixed with contemporary technology and street culture inspires an innovative and vibrant technique that transforms the brushstrokes in spotless tridimensional objects.
Meguru Yamaguchi (Tokyo, 1984).
He is much more focused on brushstroke, and he transcends and evolves the existing framework of canvas. Through the technique of what he calls Cut & Paste, Yamaguchi achieves a uniquely chaotic, vibrantly intense and visually robust abstraction on various surfaces. The method entails laying out paints on plastic sheets to dry, then peeling it off and pasting them onto another surface as if collaging to create shapeless shapes and formless forms. His timeless and elegant style brought him naturally into the fashion world, working as a designer for famous brands such as Issey Miyake, Nike and Uniqlo. 
He has been collaborating with US brands such as Audi, Stussy, FTC, ALIFE, and Chari&Co NYC. He has participated in numerous exhibitions including shows at Kinfolk 94, +81 gallery in NY, Ace Hotel NY, Hidari Zingaro and HHH gallery in Tokyo.
Emilio Cavallini (Florence, 1945).
Since the mid-sixties he dedicates himself to his greatest passions and his work emerges in an innovative and original way, linking art and fashion. Through the years his innovative style leads him to collaborate with Mary Quant, Dior, Celine, Alexander McQueen, Balenciaga, Alexander McQueen and Gucci. Celebrities are very supportive of his work : Madonna, Beyonce’, Lady Gaga and many more are spotted wearing Emilio Cavallini hosiery.
While in the fashion world he gains notoriety as a designer, he starts to create important artwork to fulfill his own personal interests. Emilio uses unconventional materials for his art, materials borrowed from the fashion world: nylon yarns, printed fabrics, his own tights, yarn’s reels, and his artist research is founded on geometry and mathematics. Dots, lines, squares, triangles, circles are settled in a 3 D environment. Everything follows combinatorial principles, permutations, growth algorithms and the most recent mathematical-geometrical theories, as you can see from his artwork titles. His works were exhibited in Art Galleries and Museums all over the world.

Contact | Press inquires: [email protected] | 212 473 2900
Image: Emilio Cavallini – Meguru Yamaguchi
Visitor Information: Open everyday 12:00pm – 7:00pm