In the Reflection field series, Ofune focuses his attention on raw materials, which, depending on the work, can range from natural pieces of crystal or rhyolite to basalt and cinnabar. Ofune begins by choosing a stone or rock, often found within the environs of his studio near the mountains or discovered intuitively during his travels, but in the case of the present work, a specially sourced crystal. He then intuitively decides upon one plane to coat with layered powdered mineral pigments, utilising the traditional nihon-ga techniques, blurring the lines between the natural element and his creative process. In Reflection field - Crystal, the crystal is presented to the viewer as if it was an artefact, yet by applying the crushed pigments in a meticulous manner akin to veneration, Ofune elevates it from its coarse, natural state, so that it becomes refined and almost otherworldly. This series transcends sculpture and painting, incorporating the spatiality of the former and the depth of the latter, achieving a balance that projects a sculptural presence as well as contemplative introspection. BIOGRAPHY & COLLECTIONS Makoto Ofune was born in Osaka, Japan in 1977. In 2000, he graduated from the Kyoto University of Education, Department of Fine Arts with a major in Japanese-style painting. In 2016, Ofune was awarded the Fellowship of Overseas Study Programme for Artists by the Japanese Government’s Agency for Cultural Affairs. Ofune currently lives and works in Shiga prefecture, near Kyoto, Japan. Ofune has been the subject of numerous solo exhibitions, galleries include: Yoshii Gallery, New York; Gallery Ami, Osaka; Galerie Akié Arichi, Paris; as well as group shows including at: Neues Museum, Nuremberg; Gallery Koyanagi, Tokyo; and La Maison de la culture du Japon à Paris, Paris. Ofune has also shown work at several shrines in Japan, including Shimogamo-jinja Shinto Shrine, Kyoto, and Kamigamo-jinja Shinto Shrine, Kyoto.