Koizumi Ryo

Ryo Koizumi is an artist based in Fukushima Prefecture who expresses Eastern philosophies such as Zen, Enso, and halo motifs through the Western medium of oil painting. His work harmonizes Eastern aesthetics with contemporary expression, showcasing a unique and captivating appeal.He explores how a painting can become a “window” that reflects the self through the accumulation of patterns and colors emerging from the boundary between consciousness and the unconscious. The “Enso” series, which he has been creating since 2019, is rooted in Eastern philosophy, drawing inspiration from Zen calligraphyʼs enso, mandalas, and the sand patterns of Karesansui (dry landscape gardens).In the “Halo” series, he masterfully employs the traditional Western painting technique of glazing, layering highly transparent oil paints to create rich, deep colors with a sense of depth. As a result, the boundary between figure and ground becomes ambiguous, and subtle variations emerge in each repeated pattern, attempting to express even the traces of human presence. “I repeatedly build up layers of paint.
Through elements of order, chance, and color, I capture light within the painting,” says Koizumi. By depicting the mystical movement of light within structured repetition and spontaneity, he evokes a sense of infinite order and wonder in the viewer.