Lot 1344: SATOSHI FURUI

SATOSHI FURUI
(B. 1959)
Mushroom Cloud #1008 Encelade; & Metaphor of Symbiosis: Cluster Lily with VLA
signed 'Satoshi Furui' in English (on a label on the reverse of each work)
two oil on wood panel
each: 120 x 90 cm. (47 1/4 x 35 3/8 in.) (2)
Painted in 2010 (2)

For Satoshi Furui, the dropping of the atomic bombs was a deeply personal experience, and through painting these magnificent displays of power, destruction and scientific advancement, allows him to contemplate the benefits and repercussions of modern technology. While integral to the forward march of technology, also caused horrific destruction. The irony of this reality is evident in the striking yet saddening image of Mushroom Cloud #1008/Encelade (Lot 1344). Inspired by the French bomb test in the Pacific Ocean in 1971, it is a documentation of a true test of destructive power that was still tantalizing in its beauty and ethereal presence. Hovering over the deep blue, the short spurts of colour float into the cloud, exuding toxicity masked in soft, clean white. The balance of life and technology is further explored in Metaphor of Symbiosis: Cluster Lily with VLA (Lot 1344) and Metaphor of Symbiosis: Strange Lily with Show-Window (Lot 1345), where exotic flowers are documented in conjunction with a satellite and a futuristic window display, as though questioning the existence of such strange, marvelous life formations.

Rendered in a realistic yet soft touch, the colours of each painting acidic. The billowing clouds and flower petals are painted with such accuracy that the viewer indeed feels that he or she is experiencing the improbable; one wonders if these nuclear tests have possibly led to the breeding of such exotic flowers. Furui's visual sensibility is based entirely on accurate scientific fact and observation, yet its is masked under his exquisite brushwork, evoking a dreamlike quality. His paintings are alluring in the harmonizing of destructive elements and vibrant life forms, posing questions about the benefits and consequences of science.