Atsushi Saga
"Synchronicity"

For the past twenty years, Atsushi Saga (b. 1970) has been challenging the medium of painting through his unique technique of repeatedly polishing painted surfaces by hand to create a mirror-like texture. In “Synchronicity”, his first solo exhibition at SCAI THE BATHHOUSE in eight years, he presents a new series entitled Sync, which evokes the presence of sound through the smooth curves visible on red-colored surfaces, and invites viewers into the depths of the subconscious and the sensory fields of the visible and invisible.

Upon entering the exhibition space, an intense red color sets the tone— a vibrant hue that is both universal and emotionally charged. Red has historically held a unique meaning throughout history and culture, embodying opposing dimensions such as life and death, dynamism and tranquility, sacredness and the mundane. Saga’s glossy, lacquer-like red color in Sync is made by the artist’s distinct blending of four different reds that he chose after years of experimentation, and by polishing layers upon layers of color. The fine overlapping color fields delicately reflect light while providing a sense of depth, conjuring a nonverbal record of time, and history of movement.

Close observation of the depth of field within the colored surfaces reveals graceful curves painted in slightly varied reds and different shapes faintly visible on adjacent surfaces. This articulation of the Lissajous curve— a geometric shape formed when two wavelengths interact and harmonize with one another— is often used to visualize invisible phenomena like sound. The background of the curve underlies a shippō or cloisonne pattern in slightly different shades. This pattern of repeated interlocking circles symbolizes eternity in traditional Japanese decorative art, establishing a peaceful harmony on the surface while accentuating the motion of the transforming curves.

A large work exhibited prominently in the exhibition, 25 Syncs, consists of twenty-five panels systematically titled from Sync/001 to Sync/025. Each measuring 60.6 cm square and 5 cm deep, they are positioned in total symmetry vertically and horizontally. Without a beginning or end to the score, the individual color surfaces retain subtle differences, yet the entire work remains in harmony. Each surface has its own distinct curve, indicating the presence of twenty-five different sounds. This ethereal, red landscape reads as an imagined chord as viewers approach or withdrawal from the color plane. Through the complex interplay of multiple elements, rather than a linear phenomenon—such as a mirror-like reflecting light, the work reminds visitors that the act of seeing itself is a multi-layered event that evokes memories and experiences.

Sync, the title of each panel, means synchronization of different elements. Although the term is now commonly employed in the technological context, it initially referred to the synchronization of sound and images. The exhibition title, “Synchronicity”, is derived from a psychological concept that aims to portray the supernatural phenomenon of coincidence, in which no causal relationship can be recognized.

The coupling of these titles, both suggesting temporal aspects, directs our attention to the enigmatic phenomenon of synchronization between external events and the depths of subconscious— alongside events within the work, as well as the liminal synchronization of elements that compose a harmonious space. Through seeing, this exhibition awakens the depth of sensory experience beyond visual perception, which is often overlooked in today’s visually-oriented society, calling into question the complexity and multilayered nature of the visible. Saga’s new works silently hint that the unknown, which science cannot fully explain, continues to expand before our eyes.