What It Becomes

Driven by what Naotaka Hiro calls “the dilemma of the unknowability of [his] body,” he developed a performative drawing practice to create a kind of map of his figure. To make the drawings on view in this exhibition, Hiro traced various body parts—fingers, arms, head, and torso—onto paper, occasionally wrapping the page around himself to better translate his body to the two-dimensional surface. Remnants of his process are evident in the final works, including holes that enabled his arms greater reach across the paper and the use of asterisks as registration marks for his eyes, nose, or mouth. While the process results in a distorted likeness with abstract references to his anatomy, for Hiro, it offers a rendering of himself that is more direct and complete.