An interview with Eugene Kangawa (Eugene Studio) has been published on “INSTITUTE OF KURO,” a research platform that explores the concept of “black” through interviews with specialists in literature, history, philosophy, astronomy, physics, and earth sciences.

Excerpt from the article (Auto-translated)

Title: Black Is Simply There | Eugene Kangawa — Interview

Interviewer: Editorial Team, INSTITUTE OF KURO

“In this world, there are things that are visible and things that are invisible. When imagined as objects, the two may appear distinct. But what if we consider light and darkness? Morning light and shadow, shade and sunlight. These elements are connected—wavering, dissolving into one another, overlapping—allowing us to sense their interdependence. Perhaps even at this very moment, everything around us, including ourselves, exists alongside something else.

Contemporary artist Eugene Kangawa reexamines the act of ‘perceiving’ the world through diverse forms of expression, including painting, sculpture, and installation. His large-scale solo exhibition EUGENE STUDIO After the Rainbow (2021–2022) at the Museum of Contemporary Art Tokyo left a profound impression through its quiet atmosphere and carefully layered spatial composition. It evoked a sensation similar to being immersed in nature, gently drawing awareness toward the passage of time within oneself.

Beyond individual works, Kangawa meticulously designs the surrounding space and the viewer’s experience, continuing to create expressions marked by both precision and richness. Inspired by this exhibition, collectors connected to the ASEAN region are currently supporting the construction of Kangawa’s permanent museum, Eugene Museum in Bali, situated on approximately one hectare of land at the foothills of a UNESCO World Heritage site. There, new expressions of ‘black’ are also planned to unfold.

The reason INSTITUTE OF KURO is drawn to Eugene Kangawa lies in his ability to evoke subtle fluctuations surrounding shadow, color, and perception through ‘black,’ creating expressions that reveal a sense of depth. His work seems to quietly illuminate the delicate and complex interface between existence and the world—something too subtle to be fully articulated through language alone. In this interview, we explore Kangawa’s works and the ideas behind them, tracing what ‘black’ means to him. Through his perspective, how might we come to perceive ‘black,’ and the world itself?”

Kangawa:
“One particularly memorable episode from my conversations comes to mind. People from an Islamic background once told me, ‘This may be the only object in the world that even its creator has never seen with their own eyes.’ Indeed, even in the case of the Shōsō-in treasures, the artisans saw the finished forms. But this sculpture is something that even I, as its creator, have never ‘seen.’
The sculpture exhibited in the museum is housed by a foundation, and of course, they too are unable to view it. Even when the work is transported, I request that it be completely covered.”

Read the full article on INSTITUTE OF KURO