Shiori Tono "Nandemonai"
MAKI (Tennoz)
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Shiori Tono
MAKI Gallery is pleased to present Oita-based artist Shiori Tono’s solo exhibition Nandemonai at Tennoz, Tokyo.
Our everyday lives are filled with countless mundane moments—most of them carry no particular significance, leave no profound impact on anyone’s life, and eventually dissolve into the ether of our minds. Yet isn’t it true that our present existence is actually shaped by an accumulation of such “unremarkable” occurrences?
Nandemonai—meaning “ordinary” or “trivial” in Japanese—features a collection of paintings based on photographs Tono took of fleeting, unassuming scenes from her immediate surroundings. A Christmas cake shared at her part-time job; potted plants quietly sitting unnoticed as time goes by; eucalyptus leaves glistening in the sunlight— none of these are dramatic subjects, yet it is their very subtlety that imbues them with a precious tenderness.
Tono’s distinctive technique is itself a reflection of the fragmentary nature of memory. She applies masking tape to both the reference photo and the canvas in evenly spaced grids, turning each square into an isolated abstract composition that she methodically renders with oil paint. The artist also adds smaller pieces of tape to the canvas to mimic the natural wear and tear of the reference photo; thus, the peeled paint is the result of a dexterous combination of chance and calculated control. This process echoes the essence of memory itself, which becomes fractured, disjointed, and even worn away with the passage of time.
By meticulously painting the ephemeral vignettes she encounters, Tono creates a multitude of images that seem to shift and evolve alongside the flow of time, heightening our awareness of the here and now. Her works gently illuminate overlooked moments and carefully retrieve memories on the verge of fading into oblivion. We invite you to immerse yourself in them as you pause and contemplate the lingering vestiges of days gone by.
Our everyday lives are filled with countless mundane moments—most of them carry no particular significance, leave no profound impact on anyone’s life, and eventually dissolve into the ether of our minds. Yet isn’t it true that our present existence is actually shaped by an accumulation of such “unremarkable” occurrences?
Nandemonai—meaning “ordinary” or “trivial” in Japanese—features a collection of paintings based on photographs Tono took of fleeting, unassuming scenes from her immediate surroundings. A Christmas cake shared at her part-time job; potted plants quietly sitting unnoticed as time goes by; eucalyptus leaves glistening in the sunlight— none of these are dramatic subjects, yet it is their very subtlety that imbues them with a precious tenderness.
Tono’s distinctive technique is itself a reflection of the fragmentary nature of memory. She applies masking tape to both the reference photo and the canvas in evenly spaced grids, turning each square into an isolated abstract composition that she methodically renders with oil paint. The artist also adds smaller pieces of tape to the canvas to mimic the natural wear and tear of the reference photo; thus, the peeled paint is the result of a dexterous combination of chance and calculated control. This process echoes the essence of memory itself, which becomes fractured, disjointed, and even worn away with the passage of time.
By meticulously painting the ephemeral vignettes she encounters, Tono creates a multitude of images that seem to shift and evolve alongside the flow of time, heightening our awareness of the here and now. Her works gently illuminate overlooked moments and carefully retrieve memories on the verge of fading into oblivion. We invite you to immerse yourself in them as you pause and contemplate the lingering vestiges of days gone by.
Schedule | Apr 12 (Sat) 2025-May 24 (Sat) 2025 Opening Hours Information
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| Fee | Free | ||||
| Venue | MAKI (Tennoz) https://www.makigallery.com/  | ||||
| Location | 1F Terrada Art Complex, 1-33-10 Higashi-Shinagawa, Shinagawa-ku, Tokyo 140-0002 | ||||
| Access | 9 minute walk from exit B at Tennozu Isle Station on the Rinkai line, 10 minute walk from the South exit of Tennozu Isle Station on the Tokyo Monorail line, 9 minute walk from the North exit of Shimbamba Station on the Keikyu line. | ||||
| Phone | 03-6810-4850 | ||||
| Related images | Click on the image to enlarge it    |
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