Takashi Seto (b. 1974), Personality Poison, 2023, lacquer, silver leaf, gold leaf, artificial dye on silk mounted on wood panel, 39.4 x 110.2 x 1.2 in (100 x 280 x 3 cm)
Takashi Seto: Moments of Arrival
March 6 – May 3, 2025
Opening reception with Artist: Thursday, March 13, 6-8 pm
Asia Week Hours: March 13-15 & 18-21, 11am-6pm (otherwise by appointment)
525 West 26th Street
During Asia Week New York, Seizan Gallery is pleased to present Takashi Seto: Moments of Arrival, the artist’s first solo exhibition in New York, on view from March 6 through May 3, 2025. Showcasing fifteen recent works on canvas, the exhibition highlights Seto’s mastery of Yuzen fabric dyeing and Shippaku metal leaf techniques — the traditional craft methods he revives and reinterprets. Through this intricate process, Seto explores cultural heritage, symbolism, and the passage of time, transforming ephemeral materials into meditative, multi-layered works.
The centerpiece of the exhibition is the four-panel work Personality Poison (2023), Seto’s homage to Yuzen’s history and the artisans who have preserved its traditions. The work features Murasakitsuyukusa (Tradescantia), a flower historically used to extract blue ink for fabric outlines. Though synthetic alternatives exist, Seto insists on using the natural plant-based ink, sourced from a 90-year-old craftsman and the very last person still producing it. Ironically, the ink is ultimately washed away during the dyeing process. Alongside the ephemeral flower, Seto paints a vividly colored Poison Dart Frog. The creature is renown for its toxicity, which is not inherent but is a cumulative result of its diet over time. Seto playfully depicts the frog with five toes instead of four, subtly anthropomorphizing it and inviting deeper reflection on adaptation and identity.
Through his fusion of historical craft and contemporary themes, Seto challenges conventions and honors tradition, while navigating a delicate balance between preservation and transformation.
Seizan Gallery looks forward to celebrating the start of Asia Week with a reception with the artist on Thursday, March 13!
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