NANZUKA is pleased to present “Good Looking,” a solo exhibition of new works by Raymond Lemstra at NANZUKA UNDERGROUND. This exhibition marks the artist’s second solo show at NANZUKA following his first exhibition in Japan held at 3110NZ by LDH Kitchen (now Sushi Saito Hanare NANZUKA) in 2024. The show will be on through April 4, 2026.
The foundation of Lemstra’s artistic practice lies in the creation of meticulous graphite portraits. While at first glance his works appear to be faithfully realistic renditions, they in fact depict anonymous human figures that are somehow playful and simultaneously tinged with cynicism. Lemstra’s distinctive drawings on paper that are at once powerful yet reveal an air of delicacy in their painstaking attention to detail, invite viewers to venture into the world of the phantasmagoric that lies in the realm between reality and the unreal. Meanwhile, in recent years, Lemstra has also been committed to his pursuit of painting.
His residency in Somo, Spain in 2015 catalyzed his transition into the production of vibrant paintings that expand upon his prior artistic explorations. This exhibition is the first to present this new series of painted portraits, which profoundly reflect the artist’s own cultural journey through his choice of materials—fusing traditional Dutch oil painting techniques with “hanji,” traditional handmade paper from Korea created from the inner bark of the paper mulberry. Titled “Good Looking,” the exhibition showcases 20 new drawings and 6 new paintings, introducing a new chapter in Lemstra’s ongoing series of work “Personnage Fictionnel.”
