A tale of two men
Two Men / Like the Japanese haiku, artists Satoru Abe and Hamilton Kobayashi share a style that’s beautiful in its simplicity–and effectively conveys a love of the outdoors. The longtime friends have taken their awe of natural beauty and refracted it into structural ingenuity and canvassed splendor in Two Men, a new exhibit at the Japanese Cultural Center of Hawaii (JCCH). The exhibit showcases recent sculptures by Abe and landscape paintings by Kobayashi, and highlights a linked dynamic between pieces that depict the natural world.
“Nature creates things that are pleasing to the eye,” says Kobayashi. “Nature is always changing, too.”
It is this continual interpretation of nature that Kobayashi showcases in his first-ever exhibition at the JCCH. He credits Abe with the inspiration.
“I consider [Abe] to be one of the greatest artists to ever come out of Hawaii,” says Kobayashi. “He does all aspects of art… he’s a good inspiration.”
The two met at Kobayashi’s Kaimuki frame shop some 15 years ago, and have had weekly visits ever since. Whether painting with oils or using pastels, depicting the waves of Sandy Beach or the landscape of Olomana, Kobayashi’s paintings travel the scope of his beloved home island and capture a moody, playful quality of movement complete with dimension and depth.
Kobayashi’s work also has a whimsy about it, and captures the changing directions of waves or the playful talking between trees. Unlike other popular paintings of a perfect, glistening wave, Kobayashi’s work is more turbulent, more realistic. He urges one to look, really look, at the clouds as you drive through Kaimuki and the directions of the waves as you pass a beach.
As for Abe, this man of few words makes sure to instill his love for art into other blooming artists.
“He’s an inspiration,” says Kobayashi. “[He’s a] mentor to a lot of up-and-coming artists.”
Born and raised in Honolulu, Abe’s sculptural aesthetic mirrors simple Japanese principles with a modern twist. For the JCCH exhibit, all of his works are made from steel-cut nails used in 18th and 19th century buildings. Manufactured from 125-year-old machines in Massachusetts, the nails serve as a starting point for Abe’s sculptures. Many of his pieces resemble abstract representations of trees, and are made of bronze, copper and other mediums.
Known for showcasing the fine points of Japanese culture and heritage to the local public, the JCCH once again steps up to the plate by presenting a collection of artwork from two distinguished artists.
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