Prisoner, approx. 1999, by Tetsuya Ishida. Acrylic on board. Courtesy of private collection. © Estate of Tetsuya Ishida.

“What I am seeking (now) is an expression of anguish, but not something depressing that ends in self-pity…not to show off my anguished feelings but a form of humor that laughs off such emotions. It is close to nonsense.” - Tetsuya Ishida (1973-2005)

Tetsuya Ishida: Saving the World with a Brushstroke is the first U.S. exhibition of paintings by the Japanese artist, who died in 2005. Ishida blended dreamlike realities with everyday life and melancholy isolation with bizarre wit, producing a body of work that triggers strong emotions but actively resists easy explanation.

Ishida once said he wanted his paintings to “depict the world as [he felt] it and let other people feel it freely.” The Asian Art Museum is proud to introduce eight remarkable paintings that exhibit the range of Ishida’s themes, including the pressures of academic and office life, social dislocation, the dulling effects of mechanization and the search for identity.

Ishida’s desire to use humor as a way of dissipating the tension inherent in difficult themes amplifies the darkness and lightness in these paintings, their highly personal subject matter sure to resonate a little differently with each viewer.

This week, we're giving away a pair of tickets to two lucky winners to gain free entry to the exhibit at the Asian Art Museum. Enter in the form below for your chance! Gothamist LLC terms and conditions apply. Sorry, this contest is closed, but keep checking back on SFist for more awesome giveaways!