Daily (2021) presents a selection of nihonga and oil paintings by Iłla Jeraševič and Nina Ždanovič. The artists focus on the innate beauty of the quotidian moment, reflected in nature and objects around. In piecing together their experiences with presence and the surroundings, they construct a visually contrasting, yet conceptually rhythmical narrative.

Iłla Jeraševič works within Japanese painting tradition, blending long-established classical practices with a contemporary approach. The nature motif combined with the bold usage of the gold leaf investigates human ability to notice and appreciate the subtle beauty of the everyday. Jeraševič’s spare application of color makes his work multi-dimensional, inviting the viewer to interact with it and explore the pieces from different angles. If the viewer positions in a way that the light hits the reflective surface of the gold leaf directly, it can be blinding. However, only a slight shift in the standpoint results in an intricate play of light and shadow, revealing the previously hidden pattern of the painting.

The oil paintings of Nina Ždanovič delve into the juxtaposition of humans and the places they find themselves in. She explores whether the contemporary person, used to a hectic urban lifestyle, lost the ability to slow down and observe the beauty and stillness of the mundane. Ždanovič reflects whether the only way left to access the stillness and beauty of the moment is to erase the human presence from the equation altogether. Through her work, she is engaging the viewer into a dialogue by paraphrasing the well-known philosophical thought experiment: If there is a moment of beauty and no one is around to witness it, is it still beautiful?

Iłla Jeraševič (Belarus) is based in Chiba and is obtaining his Master’s Degree in Japanese painting at the Tokyo University of Arts. 

Nina Ždanovič (Lithuania) is based in Tokyo and is currently completing her Ph.D. program at the Graduate School of Humanities and Social Sciences, at the University of Tsukuba.