APPortfolio presents: “Venus and Cat,” solo exhibition by Takeru Amano

APPortfolio presents the very first Hong Kong solo exhibition of Japanese artist Takeru Amano titled “Venus And Cat.” Held from 8 to 10 October 2021, the exhibition will showcase 19 of Takeru Amano’s original paintings, additional mediums including installations, sculptures, as well as NFT and even aroma—creating a new and unconventional sensory experience for art lovers.

From Leonardo da Vinci’s “Mona Lisa” to “Girl with a Pearl Earring” by Johannes Vermeer, the female veneer has enthralled artists for centuries. Takeru Amano continues this exploration of female beauty in his latest series, “Venus and Cat.” Drawing upon classical and contemporary art techniques, the unique series highlights women in tandem with cats, noting the feminine synergy between them. Amano presents his take on the female self through the subject of Venus—a woman with an inscrutable expression.

Throughout his artworks, Amano pairs vivid and lively colour blocks with succinct linear lines. There is dramatic tension and contrast in the portraits of “Venus and Cat,” making Venus the goddess come through the painting with a touch of shyness, amiableness and delicacy. The artist successfully steps beyond the graphic limitations to transform his art from 2D into 3D via sculptures. Paying homage to their curves, asymmetry, and unique ability to balance independence with vulnerability, the series highlights the multifaceted and indefinable woman identity.