Derelict Dreamscapes: Artist Masakatsu Sashie’s Paintings Imagine Earth as a Giant Orb
Japanese artist Masakatsu Sashie crafts fantastical and haunting oil paintings that envision Earth as a reflection of the universe itself. His canvases are populated by eerie orbs—some glowing, some faded—that hover above decaying urban landscapes and fields of discarded industrial remnants. These spheres, reminiscent of celestial bodies, speak to a post-apocalyptic world where remnants of human civilization are swallowed by nature’s reclaiming hand.
Inspired by designs like the Japanese national flag, "Hanafuda" cards, and mandalas, Sashie uses a unique compositional approach. He begins by gathering images related to a theme, such as abandoned signage, decaying buildings, or vintage motifs. Drawing from both his own photographs and online sources, he assembles these fragments into floating globes, transforming mundane objects into symbols of a lost age.
Sashie’s works are devoid of human figures, prompting viewers to contemplate the lasting impact of mass consumerism, wastefulness, and crumbling infrastructure. Like extraterrestrial spaceships from iconic sci-fi films—think the imposing Death Star from Star Wars —these illuminated orbs seem powered by inexplicable forces, leaving their inner workings and potential inhabitants shrouded in mystery.
Enigmatic titles such as "Phantasm (day)" and "Phantasm (night)" ("Echo," "Concrete," "Shield") heighten the speculative nature of these compositions. Imagine a stadium bathed in moonlight, a lone, battered neon sign casting an ethereal glow, or a crumbling factory cloaked in shadows. These juxtapositions create a haunting beauty, hinting at a future where nature slowly reclaims what was once ours.
If you’d like to experience Sashie’s distorted realities firsthand, his work will be showcased at Outré Gallery in Melbourne in May, followed by an exhibition at i GALLERY in Osaka in July. In the meantime, you can delve deeper into his ethereal imaginary worlds on Instagram.
[Image captions札
“Phantasm (night)”
“Phantasm (day)”
“Echo”
“Concrete”
“Shield”
“Hall”
“Boiler”
“SYMBOL パ”
]
