Auto-Graph 

Mar 14th – Jul 19th, 2020
Tetsuya Kusu




Court Tree Collective proudly presents Auto-Graph by Tetsuya Kusu. These photographs were made during a life changing road trip in 2016. Documented and dated in the order they were made. They are moments from a visual journal mapped out in perfect color harmony.





ARTIST STATEMENT: I have been trying to understand myself by recording and saving moments that remind me that I am alive. Many different things have happened in my life - experiencing three earthquake disasters and two terrorist attacks, I have also had a few other close encounters with death, and I was homeless for three and a half years, mentally exhausted. It was surely a hard reset in my life. Going through all these things made me wonder why I am still alive today, and to me, recording my life with photography is exactly like taking portraits of myself.
In Autumn 2016, I bought an automobile and drove a few thousand kilometers along the West Coast of the United States in order to promote my newly published photobook. During the road trip, I installed a camera with a tripod in the front passenger seat in order to record the process. I kept the window open, faced the lens outwards and set the camera to an automatic program which would make the shutter go down every 15 seconds. It was important for me not to have control of the shooting process, since I wanted to do a pure documentation. All these auto-graphs have captured the whole process of the trip, and at the end of the each day I would pick an image out of the vast amount of automatically saved photographs, as a practice to recognize my own existence.

During this trip I witnessed how Trump was on his way to being elected as the President of the United States, and it made me strongly realize how the world is inevitably going to be changed. My road trip unfortunately had to end as I was rear-ended by another car. It once again reminded me how life is often determined by predestinated circumstances. Although I have been through several life-threatening events, I have been kept alive until today. As long as I am being kept alive, I would like to continue observing this life, full of intrigue and mystery.


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Court Tree Collective was established in 2013 by a group of artists and creatives with the primary purpose of representing and supporting the work of emerging and established contemporary artists. Since its opening Court Tree Collective has been a staple to south Brooklyn’s emerging art scene and in a short time has exhibited a number of important exhibitions. In addition they have curated a number of exhibitions at satellite locations throughout the states and abroad.

We are a family-run art gallery specializing in emerging artists to offer a unique and intimate experience for art enthusiasts. Court Tree Collective showcases outsider art, which often defies traditional artistic conventions, alongside works by up-and-coming artists to add depth and diversity to the gallery's offerings. Visitors can expect to encounter raw, authentic expressions of creativity that challenge perceptions and ignite curiosity. By nurturing rising talent and championing unconventional voices, the gallery plays a vital role in fostering a vibrant and inclusive art community.

Our gallery is curated by artists for artists, which fosters a dynamic and supportive environment where creative visionaries can thrive. With firsthand understanding of the artistic process, the curators can showcase works that resonate deeply with both artists and audiences. This curated space celebrates diversity, innovation, and experimentation; it provides a platform for emerging and established artists to connect, collaborate, and showcase their talents. By upholding a community-driven approach to curation, the gallery becomes a vibrant hub for inspiration, dialogue, and artistic exchange.︎

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