Taiji Kuroda
Born in Kobe, Japan, and immersed in the vibrant cultural landscape of Brooklyn NY for the past 14 years, I work in charcoal drawing and am a graphic designer with a passion for jazz.
After graduating from Parsons School of Design in 2015 with a degree in Communication Design, I began working as a graphic designer. While designing CDs/LPs, flyers, and posters for NY-based jazz musicians, I began drawing portrait reproductions of Blue Note records cover and local musicians' portraits, and started my career as a charcoal drawing artist. I have drawn musician portraits for Jazz at Lincoln Center Dizzy’s club (2016) and drew the founder portrait for Beam Suntory New York (2018).
Over the years, I have exhibited my work at a number of different venues. These include a group exhibition entitled “Alternative Reality” at SPACEWOMb Gallery (Long Island City, NY, 2013) and solo exhibitions such as “Still life” at Takumen (Long Island City, NY, Summer 2019) and “Ohanami (lit. flower-viewing)” at Snow Peak Brooklyn (Brooklyn, NY, May 2023).
Drawing
In a world that rushes by, my charcoal drawings invite you to pause, to linger, and to immerse yourself in the esthetics of texture and structure. Through my art, I emphasize the deliberate act of slowing down, and encourage viewers to notice the subtle nuances of the objects that surround us all.
By stripping away the distractions of color, I create a visual landscape that transcends the bounds of ordinary perception. In this void, new perspectives emerge, unencumbered by the constraints of familiarity. Absence of color becomes a source of liberation. Shapes morph and shift, blending seamlessly into one another, inviting you to see an object with fresh eyes.
With each stroke of charcoal, I strive to imbue the drawings with a sense of depth and dimensionality that leaves the viewer wanting to reach out and touch the object's surface.
As you move through my drawings, I invite you to embrace the exhilaration of the unknown, and to revel in the excitement of exploring new perspectives that you can bring into your everyday life.