GRSF River – Eishi Takaoka 5/27/06 – 6/21/06

[nggallery id=73]

Eishi Takaoka River at GRSF, May 27 – June 21
Reception: Saturday, May 27, 6:30 pm – 10:00 pm

GRSF is pleased to present rivers, the first San Francisco solo exhibition of Eishi Takaoka, a young sculptor based out of Kagoshima, Japan. Takaoka has participated in group shows in Tokyo and New York, as well as one-person exhibitions at Giant Robot New York and GR2 in Los Angeles.

The exhibition will consist of over 100 works comprised primarily of intricately carved wood heads painted with raw mineral pigments placed atop empty glass medicine bottles. Although these sculptures all portray the same serene expression, their outwardly calm façade belies a world of bottled-up emotions. With nowhere else to go, these intense feelings manifest themselves in outlandish formations that sprout out the top of each figure’s head.

Takaoka’s unique work is rooted in a personal fantasy world that is fueled by the emotional ups and downs of daily life in lower-middle class Japan. Heavily influenced by the expressive songs of the Japanese punk rock group Eastern Youth, Takaoka releases his frustration with life in Kagoshima and feelings of isolation into each of his sculptures.

GRSF is located at 622 Shrader Street in the Upper Haight. 415-976-4773.
(Monday – Friday 11:30 – 8:00, Saturday 11:00 – 8:00, Sunday 12:00 – 7:00)