Il Sole (The Sun)

At the core of Ogata’s work — an internationally renowned Japanese artist — lies the concept of “flow,” understood as the continuous transformation and evolution of existence. 

To express this idea, the artist relies on simple and essential forms, drawing inspiration from the poetics of Brancusi and Arp. Since his earliest works in the 1970s, he has sought to vividly express the synthesis of two concepts: nature and abstraction. 

Through geometric constructions, he searches for a possible harmony between Eastern and Western culture. A recurring element in his works is the drop of water, also present in the sculpture created for the Symposium in Reana del Rojale. The drop symbolises the origin of life, becoming a flow of water through the waves engraved or shaped into the stone. 

For Ogata, springs, fountains and drops of water are living symbols of nature, which lies at the heart of the concept of the garden as a place of contemplation and deep reflection — where time and space expand into a limitless dimension. His water sculptures, often referred to as “Lotus Flowers” or “Lotus Images,” unfold like intimate landscapes that open the senses toward a vast awareness of knowledge, self and world. 

The predominantly vertical structure of his works suggests a certain sacredness of the sculptural object, inviting reflection on the mystery and fascination of life. 

We also find cuts, openings or wounds — representations of passage, change and light.

In The Sun, all these elements converge. The sun and water are the two sources of energy that symbolically recall the cyclical nature of life, represented by the lotus flower, which rises from the water to meet the sun and sinks again to encounter the night. 

Through a masterful purity of form, Ogata reveals the magic of life and carves a true hymn to purity and to the simple beauty of existence.

Yoshin Ogata was born in Miyakonojo, Japan. An internationally renowned artist, he exhibited his first sculptures in 1969 at Shinseisaku-Kyokai in Tokyo. In 1970 he moved to London, where he studied at the British Museum. 

He arrived in Italy in 1971, enrolling at the Academy of Fine Arts of Brera, and later at the academies of Florence and Rome. In 1973 he moved to Carrara, where he completed his academic studies. 

He exhibited for the first time in Italy in 1973 at Palazzo Strozzi in Florence. He has spent long periods in Carrara while travelling frequently around the world to exhibit his works. 

He lives between La Spezia (Italy) and Wakayama (Japan). His works have been exhibited in numerous European cities, and he has won awards in various international competitions. 

Ogata has worked with a wide range of marbles, stones and granites from around the world, believing that each stone reflects the culture, sensitivity, landscapes and colours of the people who cherish it. Despite the lengthy working process, each piece remains unique and precious, enhanced by rare marble varieties and complex treatments that highlight texture, grain, colour and architectural potential.