Ms. Yuki Hasegawa creates beautiful paintings.
However, before finding a settled place in the heart through the judgment of "beauty," there is an inevitable and overwhelming sensation that arises.
This sensation likely relates to the feeling Ms. Hasegawa aims to reach through her painting or the feeling that prompts her to paint. The presence of the motif, the absolute otherness of plants, the aura they exude, or the divine atmosphere in sacred places—all of these evoke a sense of awe, which can be considered sublime. Furthermore, there is an appropriate distance between the words given as titles and the paintings themselves, making the words resemble poetry. In this space, there seems to be something prepared for the viewer.
From an academic perspective, Ms. Hasegawa's work would typically be classified as representational painting, such as botanical art or landscape painting. In a primary sense, this classification is correct, and it also supports the wide accessibility of her work. Yet, even as she depicts subjects like plants and landscapes, her mind is directed solely towards the transcendent, and she holds this belief with conviction. I would tentatively categorize Hasegawa's work, which aims at such transcendence, as a kind of "metaphysical painting."
In her recent works, in addition to the colors, there is a notable emphasis on the representation of light and shadow, and their contrast. Particularly, the representation of shadow in the form of "black" possesses a significant gravity. We are drawn to "black" because our unconscious mind, quite literally, responds to it unconsciously. "Black," which absorbs light and is not tainted by anything, also represents the abyss as "darkness." This "darkness" sometimes delicately, sometimes unmistakably, connects with the "dimness" within the depths of our subconscious. It may be the foundation of the strength that reflects back on our existence. I believe that perhaps something transcendent compels the artist to create through her mind and body.