Sho Kishino Japanese, 1972

Seated, a 2019 sculpture by Sho Kishino, subtly depicts an aging individual’s seated form
through gentle, minimalist carvings in the cypress (asunaro) wood sourced from a Keihoku,
Kyoto shrine. Its style evokes the feeling of early Japanese paintings, characterized often by a
flatter appearance due to its lack of emphasis on geometric perspective and shading; however,
in soft lighting, Seated comes alive, the light revealing shadows and subtle intricacies of the
woodgrain, and reminding us that Seated is indeed a sculpture, one so expressively alive that it
may remind an astute viewer of the Portrait of Chōgen, a wooden sculpture enshrined at
Tōdai-ji.

Minimalistic carving and natural wood grain join together to form the face of this aged sitting figure. With eyes downturned and hands together, the figure sits as if in meditation or reflection. In soft lighting, Kishino harnesses the wood’s natural colors to give the appearance of shadows on the figure's folded robe.