October Exhibition

Keico Watanabe Solo Exhibition
hFor you are with meh

Psalm of the Old Testament in New Light - Modern Religious Paintings

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October 3rd - October 20th
Opening Reception: Friday, October 5th 5:00 - 7:30PM

Oil painting/ Mixed Media / Calligraphy

Gallery Hours : Tuesday to Saturday 12:00 - 6:00PM

Keico Watanabefs Solo Exhibition gFor you are with meh

  NY Coo Gallery in October presents Keico Watanabefs solo exhibition. Growing up in Tokyo, Japan, Watanabe became an illustrator with the particular knack for depicting everyday city life. Always curious, Watanabe often followed her intuition and traveled in search of a new world. Since arriving in New York City in 1999, Watanabe has been creatively busy, painting Manhattan and using the energy of its people as a main theme. Then at some point, she began to warm up to the idea of recreating through her work the words of the Bible that she hears during Sunday sermons.
Following several chance-meetings that changed her life (for the better), Watanabe found her happiness in New Jersey where she now lives.
This is Watanabefs first solo exhibition featuring all Bible-inspired works. The passion and warmth that characterize her paintings, however, reaches beyond religious boundaries and appeal to all of us. We hope you join us and experience these truly modern religious paintings.    


NY Coo Gallery


   The Bible says, gMan can not live on bread alone.h What this teaches, I believe, is that there is something more than bread that we need | the spirit of sharing and loving one another. I now understand the importance of spiritual enrichment that art, music and literature, among others, bring to help us maintain mental and physical wellness essential to keep in pace with modern society. Painting should be personal. It is a way for an artist, as a gvisualizerh of his/her innermost thoughts, to communicate with the outside world. For this exhibition, I have created a series of paintings based on the Book of Psalms. Ifll be delighted if my paintings help you feel Godfs grace and the blessing that embrace us.    

Keico Watanabe

  Keico Watanabe seems to have found gthat special somethingh with conceptual width and depth that provides the basis and direction for her to establish her own artistic domain for her artistic future. I am envious. What is that gspecial somethingh? What would it evolve into? This exhibition signals the beginning of the evolution and gives us a glimpse of whatfs to come.   gI was never into studying. My love was cruising around on my big motorcycle,h says Watanabe whose past paintings were densely covered with idealized romanticism. I assume that the romanticism associated with riding motorcycles and mannerism of Watanabefs past painterly themes, the cityscape afloat sunset-like colors with a solitary figure in the front, have provided her, somehow, a means to express her inner-self, perhaps as an emotional outlet. One wonders if Watanabe could further broaden her artistic territory through the same series? She is now putting those series behind her.  In order for an artist to move forward, not a single past experience is wasted. Every experience helps artists grow. In other words, you canft find the truth nor can you move forward as an artist without making mistakes or detours.    Watanabe's joy through the answers to questions of what artistic expression means to its maker's life, as well as to the viewer's, is the prime motivation for this exhibition. Hence, it is an artist's testimony.

Hitoshi Nakazato ( Contemporary Artist / Former Professor at Graduate School Fine Arts, University of Pennsylvania )


The book of Psalms is found in the middle of the Old Testament. It consists of 150 songs of cries from the heart of the people. They are also laments on hardship and thanksgiving for  emancipation. People have loved them for years and the songs touch our heart in the 21st Century. They are prayer, praise and confession to God and testimony of the lives with God toward people.


Manabi Nishikori ( Pastor of Japanese Christian Church of New Jersey )

 


Keico Watanabe Profie

Graduated Tama Art University, Tokyo B.F.A. in Oil Painting and Printing
Joined Nippon Design Center, Ltd., Tokyo Worked in Illustration Dept.
1989 Founded Atelier Za-O-Zoo and Kei's Co., Ltd. in Tokyo
2004 Founded NYCoo Gallery in New York. Director and member artist of NYCoo Gallery.

Awards:
2001@Washington Award, S & R Foundation
1994 OPEL Design Contest '94, the Best 30

Japan Illustration Show / Japan Art Printing Association, Tokyo Art Museum/ Japan Art Printing Association, Tokyo Art Museum, etc...