Venue: gallery commune

Open: Weekdays 2 PM - 6 PM | Sat 1 PM - 6 PM
Closed: Sun & Mon

💡Colin Sussingham and Elle Rotstein will be in attendance on Friday, June 5th (2-6 PM) and Saturday, June 6th (1-3 PM).

We are pleased to announce "shadow river," an exhibition by Los Angeles-based artists Colin Sussingham and Elle Rotstein.

Colin and Elle participated in "COMMONS / OPPES," an artist-in-residence program launched by artist Kazuhiro Hamana, for one month in May 2026.

During their stay in the Boso area of Chiba Prefecture, they lived immersed in the surrounding natural environment and the rhythm of the land, creating works that closely interacted with the landscape. The insights gained through their experiences and observations of the land deeply influenced their creative process, making their daily lives and artistic production an unbroken continuum. This exhibition will present the fruits of their labor during this residency.

In addition to the exhibited works, new zines by both artists will also be available for purchase at the venue. We look forward to your visit.

My work explores the physical and spiritual relationship between humans and the natural world. This project began with observations of a river's flow—its constantly changing forms, incessant movement, and the power with which it passes through and shapes its environment. I became interested in "flow" not only as a physical phenomenon but as a common phenomenon that exists across bodies, landscapes, emotions, and time.

Given that I had only one month to create this body of work, I set constraints for myself to maintain an experimental approach without losing direction. These were the colors "black, white, and red." Red evokes blood, veins, vitality, energy, and warmth.

During this residency, I created diverse works, including digital prints, experimental Japanese paper prints, and even inkjet paintings. In their creation, I incorporated an element of serendipity by using water as part of the material.
― Colin Sussingham

Sunflowers, growing tall yet dry, withered, and bowing their heads. They bring to mind something vaguely familiar. Flowers like humans, humans like flowers. Here, a spirit of coexistence between opposites—life and death, weakness and strength, shadow and light—is expressed.
― Elle Rotstein


Colin Sussingham
A photographer born in New York and based in Los Angeles. The origins of his work lie in skateboarding culture and nature. These two elements shape his free and spontaneous shooting style. He continues to capture fleeting movements, expressions, and moments unique to a given time and place, with nature, travel, and human figures as his primary subjects.

Elle Rotstein
An artist based in Los Angeles. She has a background in fine art, printmaking, and floral design. Her work is strongly influenced by the natural world, both in her personal practice and professional endeavors. Primarily using ink and graphite, she symbolically expresses her emotions and physical experiences through floral motifs. She also explores themes such as the intelligence of plants and humanity's desire to possess and control nature.