Sadaharu Horio

Understanding the relationship between art and daily life is a key facet of Sadaharu Horio’s work. For the artist, art and life are inseparable. He sees beauty in everyday life and turns our gaze to the ordinary through his works. Each and every moment is singular and unique, therefore, every waking hour is to create and perform.

The Japanese phrase, “atarimae no koto” (a matter of course), explains his artistic concepts and working methods quite well. He takes the various mediums he can find in his surroundings, everything from scraps of metal to pieces of wood and even junk. His works help us discover how meaningful and beautiful the ordinary, banal objects surrounding us can be.

Highly prolific, original and energetic, he creates numerous paintings and drawings in a short period time with great intensity. Horio creates or performs whatever comes into his mind. There’s no hesitation or change after the work is done. The performative, spontaneous aspects of his work, as well as the energy, freedom and openness of the process, strongly associate his works with the Gutai spirit. One can expect infinite possibilities.

The meaning of creation is not related to usefulness, intellect or consciousness. His practice is not about understanding something, but encountering something new and being truthful to the specific moment in time. The speed in the process enables the ability to capture the present time and space. He visualises impermanence and tells us we should live in the now.

Horio doesn’t intend to make any political or social statements, but wants to show the importance of those invisible, yet crucial elements in our life. No special techniques are engaged in the process. His emphasis is rather on quantity and speed. The way he creates artworks is something anyone can understand. Horio eliminates any possibility of consciousness to intervene in the work process. Instead, he embraces elements of chance—every process counts and brings about “expression without expression”. This is why his work can be seen as both performance and painting. Art becomes something we can experience or create anytime, and in any situation.