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Clifford Chance

Clifford Chance
Arcus Pride Art 2023 – Tokyo<br />

Arcus Pride Art 2023 – Tokyo

Clifford Chance Tokyo proudly presents the Arcus Pride Art Exhibition 2023. After being held online from 2020, it was the first event in three years to invite clients to our office in Marunouchi. The exhibition was held on 29 June and showcased 9 talented artists at the heart of artistic innovation and expression. Set in our office against the backdrop of the Imperial Palace, the exhibition Juxtaposes corporate Japan, tradition and the important themes of diversity and inclusiveness in demonstration of harmony and acceptance.

Our annual Arcus Pride Art exhibition has become one of the largest corporate supported exhibitions of art works by LGBT+ and supporter artists. It is a truly global celebration, with events and exhibitions taking place across Clifford Chance's global network each year. This will be our 17th year of the initiative and 2023 will be our biggest ever year with galleries being held in 14 of our offices globally.

Two of the great engines of equality for LGBT+ people have been Art and the Law. They have created visibility and understanding, driven and shaped attitudes and change for LGBT+ people. In Tokyo, we have married them in our office in Marunouchi against the backdrop of the Imperial Palace to amplify that shared impact of both as a vehicle for great change.

The exhibition is curated by one of our Arcus Tokyo Chapter lead, Haruka Ozaki. With the support of Masashi Ozaki Print Studio and Embedded Blue Inc., we are proud to present magnificent artworks by the following artists.

Ryosuke Misawa* Ryoten Ogata*  Ayaka Shirota*
Mino Watabe* Taku Ishizaki Shigako Miura
Mikako Suemune Towa Takaya
Sayaka Tsuchiya

 

* Curation supported by Embedded Blue Inc

 

Event Photo Collage revised

Ryosuke Misawa / 三澤 亮介

Born in Fukui Prefecture in 1992. Graduated from Rikkyo University, department of body expression and cinematic arts. The theme of his creative activities is "conceptual update" as a socially accepted concept that makes even the framework of contemporary art borderless through consideration of "media". As for his technique, he creates new visuals by deconstructing/reconstructing his own images, from the public domain, and creates completely new compositions and visuals by utilizing the retrograde nature of the "media". He promotes this technique as a "Media Paradox".

HP: https://www.ryosuke-misawa.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ryosuke_misawa_53/

Flex-network

Flex Network

2022
Giclee, acrylic, varnish on canvas
h.72.7 x w.60.6 cm

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walk-your-style

walk your style

2022
Mixed media on canvas (Giclee, Acrylic, Acrylic gouache, acrylic marker)
h.65.2 x w.53 cm

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Ryoten Ogata / 尾潟 糧天

Born in 1994, in Shimokawa, Hokkaido. Started working as a contemporary painter in 2021.

Drawing inspiration from the rich natural environment of Hokkaido, Ryoten primarily creates works with motifs of the sea and plants. From various perspectives, such as the relationship between humans and nature, mind and body, technology and ecosystems, the artist aims to create a conceptual world that elicits active thinking in viewers through depictions of nature. In addition to holding solo exhibitions in various locations in Tokyo, the artist has expanded their activities by participating in SFW2022 SS and exhibiting at an art fair in New York.

HP: https://ryoten.jp/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ryotenogata/

Torus0-0-2(2)

Torus 0-0-2

2023
Acrylic colour and mixed medium on canvas
Size: φ50 cm

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Dimension0-4-6(3)

Dimension 0-4-6

2023
Acrylic colour and mixed medium on wooden panel
h.50 x w.72. cm

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Ayaka Shirota / 城田 彩花

The main theme of her work is imaginary landscapes.

Incorporating familiar realities and plots rather than abstract images, she constructs a space that is not bound by time or the reality of the current world in which we exist. Looking at her works, viewers may feel a sense of déjà vu and unfamiliarity at the same time.

Swift waves of emotions, trauma, and the uneasiness of everyday life are depicted in oil paint. She draws people in charcoal as a unique expression of her own and administers them to the world of her paintings as a collage, because the people in the world of her imaginary landscapes are not material things, but souls, mixed with innocence.
The world she creates does not belong to the individual but is something that speaks to others and to the world.

Instagram: https://instagram.com/purigorota_0929/

feeling of blockage2

feeling of blockage 2

2023
canvas, oil paint, charcoal paper, charcoal, acryl colour
h.38 x w.45.5 cm

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escapism

escapism

2023
Canvas, oil paint, charcoal paper, charcoal, acryl colour
h.65.2 x w.91 cm

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Mino Watabe / 渡部 未乃

Born in Tokyo, Japan. She graduated from Tama Art University's Graduate School of Art and Design in 2016. Her linear depictions of vivid nature portray a relationship between the opposites of the artificial and natural, the organic and the inorganic, the literal and the abstract.

In recent years, she has held a solo exhibition at Nihonbashi Mitsukoshi and is actively engaged in productions of mural paintings.

HP: https://minowatabe.weebly.com/
Instagram: https://instagram.com/mino_watabe/

Taku Ishizaki / 石崎 卓

Started his DJing career in the early 90s and actively plays at various places in Tokyo. He is also an amateur photographer. He takes photographs mainly at music events where he DJs. His first solo exhibition “Power Spot” was held in Tokyo in April 2023.

"I've been capturing the smiles of many people through my modest music activities.

Where there's "good music", people meet, smile, shake hands, toast and hug other people with different upbringings, jobs, lifestyles, and values.

Pure relationships between humans are formed. Relationships that do not require social status, annual income, family or educational background, or even the minimum social title of a name.

I want to see those smiles, or rather, I want to smile like those others, so I will continue to drop the needle on the record and release the shutter."

Instagram: https://instagram.com/taku_ishizaki/

Shigako Miura / 三浦 しがこ

Started creating artworks around 2008 after experiencing various printmaking methods at a public seminar at Musashino Art School (now closed).

In 2014, she held a solo exhibition "Obake ga Deru" (Kunugi Gallery, Tokyo).

Instagram: https://instagram.com/shigako_miura/

Mikako Suemune / 末宗 美香子

Born in Yokohama, Kanagawa in 1972. Graduated from the Graduate School of Fine Arts, Tokyo University of the Arts, majoring in design.

All humans are unique and rare beings. Many people know that by interacting with others, they can gain brilliance that they were not able to achieve by themselves in the past, and have thoughts that they did not realize. I feel that this is similar to the science of color complementation, or the phenomenon of plants growing under the influence of the environment. I also believe that art has the same power.

HP: https://mikakosuemune.com/

Instagram: https://instagram.com/mikakosuemune/

The sudden shower

The sudden shower was a blessing in disguise, because it kept us at home when they came to see us

2022
Aqyla gouache on hemp cloth
h. 91 x w. 351 cm

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suemune2-2

If you don't go, neither shall I

Lithograph + painting
h.76 x w.56 cm

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Towa Takaya / 高屋 永遠

Born in 1992. Graduated from the Fine Art department, Goldsmiths, University of London. Currently based in Tokyo.

Her works are characterized by fine, elegant strokes that are accompanied by color palettes that evoke a sense of intimacy. In her works, she explores themes revolving around notions of traversing space, time and the phenomenon of existence.

HP: https://towatakaya.com/

Instagram: https://instagram.com/towatakaya/

Ones-to-be

Ones to be / ふたつの自然

2023
Pigments and oil on linen canvas
h.80.3 x w.80.3 cm

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Sayaka Tsuchiya / 土屋 さやか

Born in Fukushima in 1980.
Graduated from Musashino Art University with a degree from the Department of Arts Policy and Management.

For the past 13 years, I have been creating works with the theme of people by stuffing cotton into cloth, applying gesso to the surface, and colouring it with acrylic paints. The works look soft and light, but when you actually hold them in your hands, they feel hard and heavy because every inch of the cloth is stuffed with cotton.

For this exhibition, I was given the opportunity to try lithography, and I was exposed to a new technique of expression, which has further increased my creative motivation. I will continue to devote myself to creating interesting works of art that will make viewers feel cheerful and give them new energy.

HP: https://tsuchiyasayaka.jimdofree.com/

Instagram: https://instagram.com/sayakatsuchiya/

tsuchiya1

Pas de deux / パドドゥ

2023
Water colour and acrylic hand painting on lithograph
h.63 x w.90 cm

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tsuchiya_1

Burmese rosewood

2018
Cloth, linen, gesso, acrylic paint
Size: h.27 x w.16 x d.15 cm

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About Arcus

Arcus is our global inclusive employee network open to all Lesbian, Gay, Bi, Trans*, Intersex, Queer people and their Allies​​​. Arcus aims to encourage an inclusive and integrated culture within Clifford Chance that gives colleagues the choice to be open and out.

Learn more

Arcus archives

Explore some of our previous exhibitions to see how Arcus Pride Art has evolved in recent years.

Visit the archives