Orphism In Bushwick
An exhibition by Tsukasa Kanawa

Q: Orphism is an art movement that emerged in the 1920s and is associated with color, rhythm, and abstraction. How does your title “Orphism” connect to your work?

The exhibition "Orphism in Paris" at the Guggenheim was a profound inspiration for me. Seeing how artists like Robert and Sonia Delaunay translated the dynamism of modern life into "simultaneous colors" and "rhythmic light" resonated deeply with my own artistic journey.

Q: The title includes “Bushwick.” How do you see this neighborhood, and how does it influence your work?

Bushwick is the source of my creativity. I moved to this neighborhood in 2019, just before the pandemic. Living in a "battleground" for graffiti, where the world’s most talented writers constantly push the limits with high-level pieces and bombs, provides a constant spark for my visual language.

On the weekends, I’m usually hanging out with friends at local spots like Nowadays or Bossa Nova Civic Club. Spending the night on the dance floor is where everything clicks—the sharp lines I see on the streets and the heavy bass and flickering lights of the club all melt together inside me. This energy naturally translates into the inspiration I bring to the canvas. The unique pulse of Bushwick and its community are the true sources of my "freestyle" abstract expression; my work simply wouldn't exist without them.

Q: You seem to be influenced by club culture. Are there any particular moments or experiences that have stayed with you, and how do those translate into your paintings?

Club culture is an essential element of my work. One experience that remains particularly vivid is attending Sustain-Release in 2018. During Buttechno’s DJ set, I experienced a sense of euphoria and emotion unlike anything I had ever felt on a dance floor before. The memory of that moment remains incredibly clear to me even today.

Whenever I work on a painting, I am always listening to DJ mixes. The improvisational way a DJ blends tracks and builds the energy of a room directly mirrors my own "freestyle" creative process. I translate the beats, the heavy bass, and the visual flashes from the dance floor into painterly rhythms and layers of color, capturing those sensations on the canvas.

Q: Your work has a lot of layered colors and patterns. How do those layers build up in your process, and what role do they play in the work?

The process of layering in my work reflects the way a city's walls are continuously rewritten by graffiti, building up a history over time.

I begin with "freestyle" lines, an instinctive movement ingrained in me since my teens. From there, I build colors and patterns improvisationaly, much like a DJ mixing tracks. By partially obscuring what was previously painted or overlaying entirely different hues, I create physical "layers of time" on the canvas.

Q: In this exhibition, some works feature mechanical imagery along with embroidery. What is the idea behind these elements?

These specific works are a joint collaboration between my close friend Zach Zimmer, Arena Embroidery, and myself.

We integrated three distinct techniques—inkjet printing, hand painting, and embroidery—to bring Zach’s mechanical graphics to life. By layering my physical brushstrokes and the three-dimensional texture of the embroidery over his precise, machine-like imagery, we aimed to blur the lines between the digital and the analog.

The conceptual inspiration stems from the mechanical beauty of motorcycle parts, reimagined through an abstract lens to evoke a sense of "combative" or "battle-ready" intensity. It is a collision of different skills and sensibilities, resulting in a sharp, multi-layered energy that pushes the boundaries of my usual practice.

Q: When people leave this show, what kind of feeling would you want to stay with them?

When people leave the show, I want them to feel as if they just stepped off the dance floor energized, sharp, and fully awake. I hope they can sense the 'sound' and 'rhythm' within the paintings.