Physical action as thinking form

This exhibition brings together recent works of Hiroyasu Tsuri which have been created while consciously considering: Physical action as thinking form.

For Hiro, the philosophy refers to the simplicity of making a mark on the canvas (or paper, or wall, or glass), often with watery, diluted paint. The fluidity of the diluted paint gives the medium a life of its own, it is less about the maker and more about the materials and the action itself. This allows the mark making to flow without hesitation or concern and with focus on the action rather than (what can often be overbearing) thought. Nothing is forced or contrived - just creativeness spilling onto the support. Hiro has recently studied and found resonance with the Japanese Gutai Art Association. Their approach to art was characterised as a different version of Hiro's philosophy, with unconventional and experimental application of paint and methods of creating.

This concept of practice began with the influence and experiences of skateboarding and graffiti culture, initially as an observer in his late teens and then as a practising artist in the streets of Melbourne. During this time, graffiti pushed the boundaries of mark making beyond the spray can, finding new and different ways to create marks, with fire extinguishers, sprayers and rollers on extension poles. The ephemeral nature of street art also encouraged endless experimentation with materials and techniques without the intimidation of permanence.

Two other factors define Hiro's work - his use of monotone, and nature as inspiration.

The use of monotone removes the consideration of colour and allows a freer approach to building the composition. Hiro's original inspiration of delft pottery began as experimentation and developed into a defining characteristic of his work. Varied application techniques complement each other when each approached using the same colour and tone. Gestural mark marking takes precedence over colour and results in highly imaginative concepts coming to life. For the works in this exhibition, Hiro has taken an additional step back and abandoned colour entirely using only black and white. It is a conscious decision to lean further into the concept of Physical Action as Thinking Form and is influenced again by graffiti, specifically painting in abandoned buildings. The logistics of painting in these spaces means that the materials carried in need to be simplified, and the simplest is black and white, plus the nature of these places is complex and benefits from simple intervention. Upon reflection these black and white compositions carried strength that has been further explored in these works.

Abandoning ridged preparation work and the complication of colour, you would be forgiven for assuming that there is little focus in Hiro's art practice, yet his constant inspiration of nature and his surrounding environment create a site-specific focus to his work, that translates wherever he sits in the world at any time. Focusing on a flower or a leaf combined with capturing movement as a different form of thinking, has built a harmonious oeuvre of works.

Hiro holds the firm belief that everybody is an artist, and barriers of expectation and harsh self-judgement rob us of our creativity. The perfectionism of our society has ingrained a sense of inability and doubt, and an artist is only so because of their ability to push through these barriers.