Something must have come over me, says Kohei Ohmori, reflecting on the 280 hours or roughly 5 months spent drawing a hyper realistic composition of a metallic bolt and nut using just pencils. The 30-year old artist, who has publicly discussed his struggles with OCD (obsessive compulsive disorder), has managed to overcome what is often perceived as a weakness and harness his incredibly capability for focus, which recently culminated in a solo exhibition at the Setouchi City Museum of Art.
Kohei Ohmori developed an affinity for drawing at a young age. And—pun intended—drawn to the shiny luster of metallic objects, soon developed an uncanny ability to recreate them on paper using just a pencil. However, academically Ohmori struggled. His above-normal levels of concentration and focus made it difficult to juggle multiple assignments and he ended up dropping out of traditional high school and obtaining his diploma online. He also attempted a higher learning degree in art but soon dropped out as well. But he continued to channel his concentration into his drawings.
A life-changing event occured in 2017 when his sister posted one of his works-in-progress to social media. It wa seen by millions of people, and one of those was the curator of the Setouchi City Museum of Art, who noted the local artist’s talent and began following Ohmori’s career. Fast-forward to 2024, and just last month Ohmori wrapped up his very first solo exhibition at the museum.
You can keep up with Kohei Ohmori on X and Instagram, as well as purchase prints of his work here.
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