Michihiro Kosuge

For his latest exhibition, Portland sculptor Michihiro Kosuge has created sculpture out of polished and rugged granite, ranging in color from black, to brown, to red, to salt and pepper. His work reflects an interest in the relationship between man and nature, drawn from influences of human and architectural form as well as the natural environment. In this exhibition, Kosuge's sculptures range from those of human scale to more intimate pieces. Shapes range from abstract and gestural to others that suggest parts of the human body. These sculptures and the way viewers physically relate to them compel reflection on stability and fragility, permanence and transience. Kosuge’s treatment of each piece prompts reflection on what it may have been like before the artist's hand and mind transformed the stone into something new. Using drills, blowtorches and grinding wheels, each stone surface is thoughtfully honed, shaped and polished, or sometimes left pristine. The result is a beautiful combination of solemnity and spirituality. The initial understated presence of this work rewards close looking with a rich and profound experience.