Hiroyuki Kimura - 9:38 AM

“This is a work depicting a scene I saw at the station early in the morning. It was painted without a preliminary sketch, just with a brush. It is a common sight at Ryogoku Station.”

Kimura captures scenes of sumo wrestlers in various environments, emphasizing the contrast between tradition and modernity.

Each painting in this collection is titled with a specific time of day. Some of the depicted scenes are based on real-life observations that Kimura has either remembered or photographed. Other scenes are imagined, yet still carry a timestamp. This approach creates a diary-like quality to the painting, leaving viewers uncertain whether the events actually occurred or are figments of Kimura's imagination.

Sumo wrestlers are required to wear traditional kimono when in public, a fact that Kimura highlights to show the striking contrast between the ancient traditions of sumo and the contemporary settings they navigate.

The pigments used in these artworks are prepared using a traditional method where stones are ground into powder, mixed with pigments, and combined with glue to create a paint. This method ensures rich, vibrant colors that bring depth and life to the paintings.