Architecture-inspired artwork by Yutaka Stone
Work including a sculpture of Manhattan carved in marble by the Japanese-born artist, who trained as an archtiect, go on show at the David Zwirner gallery in London
Art and architecture have always had a close relationship. Artists such as Anish Kapoor and Ai Weiwei have designed (or helped design) buildings, while architects, notably Le Corbusier and, more recently, Will Alsop, have enjoyed success as painters.
Originally trained as an architect, Japanese born artist Yutaka Stone has turned his back on architecture, in the sense that he no longer designs buildings; nevertheless there is clearly an architect's eye behind Stone's intricate marble sculpture of the urban topography of Manhattan, for example, which is about to go on show alongside other examples of his work at the David Zwirner gallery in London.
Yutaka Sone, Little Manhattan (detail), 2007-2009; Courtesy David Zwirner, New York/London
Working in several media - predominantly sculpture but also painting, drawing, video and performance - Stone explores the tension between realism and perfection, according to the gallery. His work, which clearly requires an obsession with detail worthy of the best architects, includes natural and architectural landscapes and he often picks his subjects from real locations such as Hong Kong Island, los Angeles highway junctions, a mountain range, a section of rain forest, ski resorts and his own back garden - which he recreates to scale using paint, marble and crystal or natural materials such a plants and soil.
Yutaka Sone Tropical Composition / Banana tree no4, 2008-2010 Courtesy David Zwirner, New York/London
The work on show includes Little Manhattan (2007-2009), a two and a half tonne piece of marble which, from a distance, appears to represent a large sheet of drapery, but on closer inspection is revealed to be an intricately carved model of the island of Manhattan.
Detail of Hong Kong Island (Chinese); Courtesy David Zwirner, New York/London
This and other works by Yutaka Stone are on show at the David Zwirner gallery, London, from 27 November until 25 January.
Yutaka Sone with Baby Banana Tree, installed at Pasadena City College; Photo by Grant Delin
