Yokoteen

Installation view, Yokoteen: Summer Break, July 19 – August 8, 2024. Artwork © Yokoteen. Courtesy of the Artist and ELIGERE. Photo: Hyosup Jung

“For my major debut solo exhibition in Korea, I’ve journeyed back to my roots through my art.

Installation view, Yokoteen: Summer Break, July 19 – August 8, 2024. Artwork © Yokoteen. Courtesy of the Artist and ELIGERE. Photo: Hyosup Jung

Installation view, Yokoteen: Summer Break, July 19 – August 8, 2024. Artwork © Yokoteen. Courtesy of the Artist and ELIGERE. Photo: Hyosup Jung

Installation view, Yokoteen: Summer Break, July 19 – August 8, 2024. Artwork © Yokoteen. Courtesy of the Artist and ELIGERE. Photo: Hyosup Jung

These works remind me of when I first began painting waves. Capturing their true essence as I see them is challenging; I can’t replicate them precisely.

Installation view, Yokoteen: Summer Break, July 19 – August 8, 2024. Artwork © Yokoteen. Courtesy of the Artist and ELIGERE. Photo: Hyosup Jung

Yet, I can feel the waves and imagine their dance and movement. I paint the waves within me onto the canvas, each stroke reflecting my unique vision and emotion.

Installation view, Yokoteen: Summer Break, July 19 – August 8, 2024. Artwork © Yokoteen. Courtesy of the Artist and ELIGERE. Photo: Hyosup Jung

I hope you feel something profound when you gaze upon my paintings. May they resonate deeply with your spirit.”          — Yokoteen

Installation view, Yokoteen: Summer Break, July 19 – August 8, 2024. Artwork © Yokoteen. Courtesy of the Artist and ELIGERE. Photo: Hyosup Jung

Sakaide City, Kagawa Prefecture-based artist Masaki Yokota (b. 1972), better known as Yokoteen, currently lives and works in Tokyo, Japan.

Installation view, Yokoteen: Summer Break, July 19 – August 8, 2024. Artwork © Yokoteen. Courtesy of the Artist and ELIGERE. Photo: Hyosup Jung

Installation view, Yokoteen: Summer Break, July 19 – August 8, 2024. Artwork © Yokoteen. Courtesy of the Artist and ELIGERE. Photo: Hyosup Jung

A self-taught artist, Yokoteen has made a name for himself and expresses himself through various collaborations featuring his distinctive characters: Skateboarder Yokoteen and his friends Teddy, KoKo, and Surfer Giovanni, who rides big waves, frequently depicted against the backdrops of a beach and a skatepark.

Installation view, Yokoteen: Summer Break, July 19 – August 8, 2024. Artwork © Yokoteen. Courtesy of the Artist and ELIGERE. Photo: Hyosup Jung

“I am a self-taught oil painter, and my ‘FRIENDS IN PARADISE’ series has been in production since 2015.

Installation view, Yokoteen: Summer Break, July 19 – August 8, 2024. Artwork © Yokoteen. Courtesy of the Artist and ELIGERE. Photo: Hyosup Jung

Through these works, I aim to convey messages of freedom, peace, and kindness. Recently, I have focused on wave-themed paintings to express the power and transparency of the sea.

Installation view, Yokoteen: Summer Break, July 19 – August 8, 2024. Artwork © Yokoteen. Courtesy of the Artist and ELIGERE. Photo: Hyosup Jung

While oil paintings often evoke a sense of heaviness, I hope my work allows you to feel a closer, more personal connection to this art form.”          — Yokoteen

ELIGERE
55, Apgujeong-ro 79-gil, Gangnam-gu, Seoul, Korea
+82 2 518 4287

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