In his latest body of work entitled, The Camouflaged Man: Invisibility & Mimicry, Nakamura continues his investigation into the notion of public spaces and refuge. The works are known for its enigmatic quality as it possesses familiar visual cues but at the same time, there is a sense of unfamiliarity through its unique construction of space. Nakamura carefully constructs and conceals these spaces in an attempt to mislead unwanted attention. Hidden staircases and covert passageways are only revealed if audiences adjust their viewing perspectives. Nakamura builds upon additional layers of concealment through the clever play of light and shadow within his constructions. At corners where sight is obscured, mirrors are employed and strategically placed to help redirect the viewers to a hidden passageway, or landing. Bearing in mind, the reflection only shows a constrained viewpoint of what “The Camouflaged Man ” allows the audience to see.
Within these spaces, traces of people are obscured and time is indistinguishable. Viewers are not provided any hints of past activities. Nakamura constructs these spaces in minimalistic fashion and often in monochrome, invoking a sense of melancholy. As stated by Nakamura, “The Camouflaged Man is someone you probably know. He doesn’t appear to be much different from the men you see on the street. Except that he is. This disparity might subject him to a harsh and authoritarian treatment; but The Camouflaged Man acknowledges the unchangeable nature of his circumstances, and he fully accepts that this is how life is like for him… Obscure, shadowy nooks and crannies of buildings have become spaces that provide refuge for The Camouflaged Man. These are sanctuaries that would allow for the privacy and freedom for him to breathe and frolic with others like himself .”
Faris Nakamura (b. 1988, Singapore) graduated with Bachelor in Fine Arts (First Class Honours) from LASALLE College of the Arts in partnership with Goldsmiths, College of London in 2014. Through sculptures, installations and site-specific works, Faris investigates the way people navigate and orientate themselves as they encounter space. He desires to understand their attachments and detachments towards space, how these develop, and their impact. Faris was most recently awarded the Young Talent Programme Winners’ Solo, 2017/2018. He was the Grand Winner at the Shitsurai International Art Competition, Kobe Biennale, 2015 and the Winston Oh Travel Award recipient, 2013. Faris has exhibited both locally and internationally. He has showcased at venues such as The Substation (Singapore), ION Art (Singapore), Scotts Square (Singapore), Gillman Barracks (Singapore), Kobe Biennale (Japan), Georgetown Festival (Penang, Malaysia) FASS Art Gallery (Turkey), and Palazzo Ca’ Zanardi, (Venice).
