Joy of Food

From returning to France in December 1953 until relocating to San Francisco in October 1981, Yozo Hamaguchi spent nearly three decades living in Paris. Asked why the city had remained home for so long, the artist once replied, "The food, that's a very important part of it." Hamaguchi also spoke with characteristic humor about the abundance of fruits and vegetables that appear throughout the work. When asked why cherries, watermelons, grapes, lemons, pomegranates, pears, peppers, asparagus, fennel and Chinese cabbage recur as subjects, the answer was simple: "Because I'm a gourmand, I just keep drawing the things I like to eat." This exhibition presents a selection of Hamaguchi's color mezzotints, focusing primarily on fruit. Emerging softly from deep, dark backgrounds, the fruit appears strikingly fresh, almost suggesting its aroma and the taste of its juice. The pleasures of food also run through the work of illustrator Makoto Nagasawa (1936–2022). Known for a lively, spontaneous sketching style, Nagasawa developed a distinctive practice of drawing meals directly at cafes and restaurants, capturing each dish as it appeared before being eaten. On view are Night Cafe (1992), inspired by a journey tracing the footsteps of Vincent van Gogh, along with scenes from the Italian port town of Portovenere, Seville, the streets of New York, where Nagasawa lived for eight years, downtown Tokyo in the Showa era, Jindaiji Temple in Chofu and the former Iseya restaurant in Kichijoji. Together, these works reveal how food enriches both travel and everyday life. Although Hamaguchi once remarked that "the French are passionate about food," the artist was equally devoted to its pleasures. Nagasawa, too, cherished gathering friends at home to share good food and wine. Through the works of these two artists, the exhibition celebrates the simple yet enduring joy of food.