by Paul Zimmerman
It has long been observed in all painting that an elevated felling of expressive contrast in any artwork deepens the emotional spectrum of the artist’s efforts. This is certainly apt as the viewer contemplated the emotional range and the optical sumptuousness of Yuichi Onouchi’s works at the recent exhibition in Artifact.
The tension that is perceived between color, form and texture is a driving force in his paintings. This burst of energy however is always applied with gentleness as well as directness. While color is a main component in the Onouchi’s work, he is particularly sensitive to the application of paint and texture. Overall, we see the artist’s signature use of spectral color to generate the exuberant amount of energy and presence.
There is a process of engaging the viewer into an associational game within these aesthetic efforts, but the act of painting is the issue here. The wholeness of Yuichi Onouchi’s works leads us as viewers to take part in its history as materialized consciousness. We are invited to immerse ourselves in his extraordinary canvases to become part of their integrative wholeness.
Paul Zimmerman is an art critic based in Manhattan.