{"id":2321,"date":"2026-07-23T15:49:32","date_gmt":"2026-07-23T06:49:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/shinya-yamamoto.com\/?post_type=writings&p=2321"},"modified":"2026-10-13T18:29:46","modified_gmt":"2026-10-13T09:29:46","slug":"mysquares-statement-%e2%85%b0-accidentsandinevitability-toburyduchamp","status":"publish","type":"writings","link":"https:\/\/shinya-yamamoto.com\/en\/writings\/mysquares-statement-%e2%85%b0-accidentsandinevitability-toburyduchamp\/","title":{"rendered":"My Squares \u2013 Statement \u2160: Accidents and Inevitability \/ To Bury Duchamp"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

In this series, I give myself some parameters to paint a square on a square canvas. However, I do not trace a line four times with a ruler. On the contrary, I choose to apply (or remove) paints in ways that involve a great number of accidents so as not to reach the goal easily. So first, these accidents are essential. Nevertheless, it is me that moves in front of the canvas, and it is me who decides the palette. Furthermore, since the goal is painting a square - the most rational and artificial shape, the framework of this painting is \u201cinevitability\u201d. My squares emerge as countless accidents moulded around an inevitable framework. In the same way, it could be a metaphor for our lives. It is we ourselves who choose \u201cthis road\u201d, but we encounter countless happenings along the way. We shape our lives as we take on these unexpected experiences.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The second purpose of this series is to bury Marcel Duchamp. In contemporary art, where Duchamp (or perhaps I should say Duchampians) has been the starting point, subject matter (in other words, \u201cwhat to paint\u201d) has often taken precedence. Works have sometimes become mere vehicles for ideological or political statements, concepts or messages, or just \u201cadd-ons\u201d to this kind of language. I object to this situation with my squares. By choosing the square\u2014a motif with minimal meaning, and specializing in \u201chow to paint,\u201d I want to restore the power of the painting as an object. I want to show that paintings can express things that language cannot. And focusing on \u201chow to paint\u201d will eventually reveal \u201cwhat to paint\u201d. Painters are \u201cpainters\u201d before \u201cartists\u201d. We are not captives living in the narrow prison of contemporary art, of postmodernism, of language. Paintings should go beyond \u201cgray matter\u201d and stimulate the entire body.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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In this series, I give myself some parameters to paint a square on a square canvas. However, I do not trace a […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_locale":"en_US","_original_post":"1640","sns_share_botton_hide":"","vkExUnit_sns_title":"","_vk_print_noindex":"","sitemap_hide":"","_veu_custom_css":"","_lightning_design_setting":{"layout":"default"},"footnotes":""},"writingscategory":[42],"class_list":["post-2321","writings","type-writings","status-publish","hentry","writingscategory-statements","en-US"],"acf":[],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t