Year: 2022
Medium: acrylic on canvas
Dimensions: 45.5 x 53 cm (17 7/8 x 20 7/8 in.)
Acquired from ShugoArts, 2022
Flowers in full bloom face directly towards the viewers. From the Manyo era, it was often said that “flowers smile”, and as this expression suggests, the sight of a blossoming flower often evokes a smile from a close one. At the core of Kondo’s artworks always lies a deep sense of love and tenderness towards others. In this work, the featured flowers seem to be Gerbera Daisies judging from their appearance. In addition to Kondo’s characteristic powerful, almost sculptural brushstrokes, this work provides a striking impression through its bright color composition. The artist does not hesitate to use complementary colors, with central blue disks surrounded by yellow petals, and deep green leaves against a bright pink background. As the words “smiling for you” suggest, the flowers seem to be smiling with all their robust vitality, not only to Kondo the artist but towards “you.” Just as gifting flowers to someone symbolizes a celebration of that person, the series “They are smiling for you,” including this work, surely encapsulates Kondo’s warm wishes.
