Shoko Ohtake's solo exhibition at Salt & Pepper gallery. Don't miss her first exhibition as an individual.

I've had him blogging at Huynem as well.Whenever you go there, you are sure to meet new people.SALT AND PEPPERThe second floor, where zines and other goods are available, is of course a must, but the exhibitions held in the gallery space on the third floor are also very interesting.

Kovi Konowiecki's exhibit in February was great, but next up, starting Friday, April 29Shoko Otakewill begin with a solo exhibition of

Although he has exhibited with his sister, Ayako Otake, this is his first exhibition as an individual. Her capsule collection with "CURRENTAGE" this season has been attracting a lot of attention. The statement of the exhibition is as follows.

If I remember correctly, we had to announce our dreams for the future in the last birthday month of kindergarten.
If I remember correctly, I said "painter".
Immediately after I said I was a painter, I felt irresistibly embarrassed,
The feeling of never saying it again is still clear to me.
But since that time, perhaps that painter has been lurking in my mind,
I began to numb beyond self-consciousness.
As an underworld story to our ancestors,
"I want to live a life where I can say, 'I also lived a life of making.
With that in mind, in a finite amount of time,
While repeating despair and pleasure,
All I can do now is roll the roller.

We also received an interview with Mr. Ohkita and Ms. Ohtake, owners of "Salt and Pepper.

Ohkita：First of all, please tell us about the origin of the title "Roll on Day Day" and the works in this exhibition.

Ohtake: I chose "Roll on Day" because I thought that the phrase "roll on day," which is used when people can't wait to have fun, could express the way the roller literally rolls around on the woodblock, creating prints day by day, and the feeling of not being able to wait to return to those days of peace and tranquility. I chose "Roll on Day Day".

Ohkita: How did you arrive at the technique of printmaking, and what do you value in your expression through printmaking?

Ohtake: My first experience with printmaking was when I made a rubber print of a New Year's greeting card in 2000, and since then it has become a tradition for my sister and I to make a print of a New Year's card every year. I have been making prints for New Year's cards using at least three editions, but I have always wanted to do a one-color print of one edition. I started making one black print at a time when I was stuck in a pandemic, and that is how it has continued to this day.

Ohkita：When did you start your career as an artist in earnest and how did you get started?

Ohtake: If I were to be serious about exhibiting, I would start in 2019 with a group exhibition. My working experience is one of the main reasons that made me realize that I want to create as well.

Ohkita: I understand that you graduated from the University of the Arts London.

Ohtake: I think it has had a great influence on my own personal development rather than on my activities as a writer. Encounters with people from various countries and ideas still serve as a basis for me when I think about something, and the fact that I was able to look at Japan objectively also gave me an opportunity to consider my position as a Japanese woman born in Japan.

Ohkita: Do you have any future prospects?

Ohtake: We will continue to roll daily, as the exhibition title suggests.

Salt and Pepper" also seems to be one of his favorite artists, as he was asked to package mandarin orange juice for a pop-up at "BEAMS T" last year. It is still nice to live with your favorite artist, isn't it? It is not often that you get a chance to see his work in person, so this is a great opportunity to do so.