21 hours ago
Japan's vibrant culture on display at Nucleus Portland art show
The textures, color palette and culture of Japan have inspired artists for centuries. A recent trip to the country is the thesis of painter Josh Stover's new solo and curated group show, now on display at Nucleus Portland.
The big picture: Stover's signature still lifes — like an outdoor flea market in a Tokyo park, a vintage cassette player playing Miki Matsubara, and an egg salad sando split open on a plate — are recreations of photographs he took in Japan this past winter.
They're shown alongside more than a dozen other local and Japanese artists.
For instance, Jackie Brown 's miniature blue ceramic kei truck carries "shikaku suika" (or square watermelons), while Erika Strohecker 's intricate wooden and paper Japanese lantern hangs nearby.
"Japanese Summer 2" also features works from Portland neon artist Perry Pfister, painter Ippei Matsui, illustrator Raf Spielman, wood carver Jordan Metcalf and more.
What he's saying: Stover said he wanted the show to reflect the density and vibrancy of Japan. "There's just so much eye candy," he told Axios. "It's very busy; there's a lot you can see in just one scene."
