Ryu Enchi

Works

Contemporary Ink Paintings (1998-2002)

Through his well-known 'Contemporary Ink Paintings', Enchi criticized the stagnation of Japanese traditional art forms while creating a body of enigmatic and undeniably contemporary works. Using handmade 'sumi' ink, the artist painted receipts, paper bags, old t-shirts and other detritus collected from his everyday life. Mixing intentional strokes with Rorschach-like splashes, the pieces are half-way between representational illustration and pure abstraction. According to Enchi, "Sumi ink doesn't try to dominate a surface - there is always interaction. And with that interaction comes some nice surprises."

From 2000 to 2002, Enchi created his final series of Contemporary Ink Paintings. Titled 'Salarymen', these works depict typical Japanese professionals (which Enchi was for a short time) waiting for trains, working at offices and carrying heavy black briefcases.

"Personally, I love Enchi's receipts. Their small scale and personal information, product and price details concerning whatever Enchi bought that day, makes them intimate and intriguing. They each have a story to tell. Moreover, they are formally beautiful, especially where the ink contrasts with colored type and the logos of businesses.", comments artist Jeff Pie.