Masakatsu Sashie

"Stove"  2011　oil on canvas　162 ×194cm

" ジャンボリー"   2011　oil on canvas　116.7 ×116.7cm

"Planet"   2010　oil on canvas　162 ×130.3cm

"Bazaar"   2010　oil on canvas　130.3 ×194cm

A lot of contemporary art here in the U.S. is addressing the condition of our post-industrial world and the decay and destruction of our environment. There's an obsession with decrepit buildings and overgrown infrastructure. It's no surprise that artists in Japan would take on some of the same themes. Masakatsu Sashie has an interesting take on it though. In many of his paintings a death-star-like sphere of urbanity floats above a desolated world. In another the urban is represented by a battle ship plying a sea of human refuse. The message is clear: As cities grow, the planet dies. Subtlety is fine thing but sometimes the message is more deserving of a hammer-like delivery, and these arresting images do just that. You can see more at sal-s.com

The artist was also featured on www.artistaday.com where I first came across the work.