"Working from my studio in Brooklyn, I find myself surrounded by the hustle and bustle of everyday urban life. The dynamic and vibrant energy of people in New York City has been profoundly inspiring to me. The atmosphere and activity, alongside the material wealth and prosperity of this financial hub, are juxtaposed with the calm serenity of classically uncomplicated geometry and composition. 

 

To express this vitality, I adopted 22 karat gold and other precious metals as the main material for my paintings. After lengthy and intensive experimentation, I have developed a singular painting style. I use compositional elements such as circles, broken arches, squares, and rectangles because I feel they represent ideal forms for working with gold and metal-leaf, when placed in conjunction with the colorful, graffiti-like markings my compositions possess." - Takefumi Hori

 

Additionally, Takefumi's works are informed by his studies of Japanese calligraphy as a student in Tokyo. He describes this part of the process: "I place the center of visual weight to the lower left and create movement to the upper right of a canvas.  This is to represent my intention of merging Eastern art traditions with Western artistry."

 

Takefumi Hori was born in 1978 in Tokyo, Japan where he also later studied Japanese calligraphy. After moving to New York in 2004, Takefumi began work as a professional artist using acrylic and canvas. Since 2009, Takefumi has been exclusively making his gold and metal-leaf abstract paintings. He currently lives and works in Brooklyn, NY with his wife and two adorable sons.