sneakerwolf Solo : Calligraphic Abstraction

Jan 17 2025 - Feb 1 2025

Curation Note

Alpha Contemporary is proud to present 「sneakerwolf Solo : Calligraphic Abstraction」from January 17 to February 1, 2025.

sneakerwolf (Japanese b.1975) has explored the artistic value of “Edo-Moji”, Japanese typefaces invented for advertising during the Edo period. He positioned Edo-Moji as the world's first graffiti art, and developed his original Edo Moji using English alphabets as parts of kanji.

In this exhibition, we explore sneakerwolf's innovative works as abstract calligraphy, and showcase mainly abstract works such as brush strokes created by deforming the calligraphy. They are inspired by the Japanese cultural heritage of Edo-Moji, American pop art, and graffiti, and include intersection of East and West, tradition and innovation, high culture and low culture, writing and painting, past and present, entertainment and art, etc.

Illegible deformed letters, strong brush strokes, and powerful curves present unrestrained vitality and innovation as calligraphic abstraction, as well as dialogues with the aesthetic expressions of popular culture of the Edo period and 1960s-1980s' American pop art.

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sneakerwolf (Japanese b.1975)

【Exhibition History】

2024　Solo Exhibition「SAMURAI Graffiti」（DSGN gallery・New York）

Solo Exhibition「Super Deforism」 (Helinox Creative Center Paris ・Paris)

Solo Exhibition「L(I)FE」(i_Gallery・Osaka)

2023 Duo Exhibition 「TRADMAN’S × sneakerwolf “SUPER TRAD”」（WATOWA GALLERY・Tokyo）
　　　Group Exhibition 「SUMMER FREE STYLE」（COURT TREE COLLECTIVE・New York）

　　 Solo Exhibition「Off the wall」(SOFT CORNER・Seoul)

2021 Solo Exhibition「NEW ABNORMAL」（elephant STUDIO・Tokyo）

　　　Solo Exhibition「（INSTRUMENTAL）」（elephant STUDIO・Tokyo）

Group Exhibition「#FR2×SNEAKER WOLF “FXXCKING WOLF”」(#FR2GALLERY・Tokyo)

2020 Solo Exhibition「SUPER DEFORM」（in the house Gallery・Tokyo）

2019 Solo Exhibition「東京さいこう計画」(HOTEL KOE・Tokyo)

2018 Solo Exhibition「江戸 to END BURNERS」(HENRY HAUZ・Tokyo)

2017 Solo Exhibition「A」(PORTER Gallery・Tokyo）

【Award History】

2024　Selected for FACE2024　

　　　Selected for ART OLYMPIA2024　

【Collaboration with Brand】