GRAND RAPIDS, MICH.- Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park is presenting Masayuki Koorida: Beyond Existence. This exclusive exhibition showcases Koorida’s work with a wide range of materials. Celebrated for partially carved and polished boulders like Existence, permanently sited in The Richard & Helen DeVos Japanese Garden, Koorida has a broader repertoire that includes highly geometric pieces in a variety of materials and exquisite, large-scale drawings. This exhibition runs through August 19, 2018 and displays all aspects of his work.
In the last decade, Koorida has emerged as one of the most elegant voices in Contemporary sculpture. Although he has exhibited in China, Japan and across Europe, this exhibition is among his first in the United States. Works at a variety of scale and in a variety of materials are being featured in all the sculpture galleries. Of special significance are a series of large, never before seen drawings created specifically for this exhibition.
"Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park is the first sculpture park that has collected my work in the United States," states Koorida. "Since the first time that I visited for the project in 2013, I have been to Meijer Gardens several times. I always find something new to discover; including great sculptures, exhibitions, beautiful flowers and gardens. I feel that the park is loved by people very much. It has been a great honor to be part of the collection. I am very glad to hold this solo exhibition at Meijer Gardens in 2018, it is exciting to have people experience it.”
“We are honored to be exhibiting the work of Masayuki Koorida. As one of his first gallery presentations in the United States, his repertoire will reach and inform a broad audience,” said Joseph Antenucci Becherer, Chief Curator and Vice President of Meijer Gardens. “Our relationship with Koorida is very important to Meijer Gardens and dates to the commission of his acclaimed piece Existence in our Japanese garden. His use of materials and form is both elegant and contemplative.”
Masayuki Koorida (b. 1960, Kyoto, Japan) is a major talent and dedicated figure in Contemporary sculpture. Koorida lives in and works from a studio in Shanghai, China. As a sculptor who works frequently in stone, the studio in China places him in close contact with abundant stone quarries in south China, but also allows him an opportunity to have a large industrial space for carving and polishing. From here, Koorida operates a very handson studio with few assistants. He is deeply and physically engaged with his work. He is most well known for his sculpture in stone that range in scale from table top to the monumental, single forms to small groups of related images. Koorida travels widely in search of the right stones for the right projects. Granite is preferred, but he also works in black and white marble.
