Meguru Yamaguchi

Meguru Yamaguchi’s work is untethered to the canvas. Early in his career, he used social media as his inspiration which landed him the title from some critics as a Digital Impressionist. Since, his work has moved away from representational imagery but retains a digital aesthetic. Created through a process he calls ‘Cut & Paste’ - a term intentionally lifted from digital culture - he splashes oil and spray paint onto plastic sheets and then cuts and rearranges them onto separate grooved surfaces. The artist’s predilection for layering texture and paint is inspired by modernist painters like Vincent Van Gogh, and also recalls abstract painting from the Japanese avant-garde movement Gutai.

Drawing from the diverse culture of his birthplace Tokyo and freestyle sampling in 70s Hip-Hop, Yamaguchi combines contemporary street art with the intuitive, flowing gesture of traditional Japanese calligraphy. In parallel, he moves fluidly through pop, sub and ‘high’ cultures, collaborating with brands like Nike and Issey Miyake, alongside his creation of street murals in public urban settings. By deconstructing line, space and colour, the works freeze time in motion. Splitting Horizon No.10 (2019) depicts layers of metallic blue paint collaged over itself against a sharp white backdrop that gives the impression of shattered glass - chaotic yet perfectly orchestrated. With his distinct brushwork and expressive compositions, Yamaguchi disrupts all notions of order. Obliterating the lines that separate sculpture and painting, he joins the new era of expressionist painting.