Gallery A
April 2nd(Thur.) - 7th (Tues.) 2020 9:30-18:00 Fri.Sat. open until 20:00
Title: Moment-1 Year: 2017 Dimension: 70inches x 55inches
Medium: Three-layered Silk Organza, Acid Dye, Pigment
Description
This is a work made from a photograph of my mother's wedding. She married because she was loved by this man, but she was a singer and divorced because she could not fit into the housewife. Later she met another man and gave birth to me as a single mother and died when my mother was 37 and I was 9. When my mother was young, women were forced to go to get marry before age 25. Divorced women did not have the next good chance. It would have been both painful to stay married and be a single mother. Japanese bridal gowns weigh more than 33pounds (15kg) with head decorations. It is also difficult to breathe because the kimono is tightened firmly by an obi and sashes. The white cloth wrapped around her head is called “Tsuno-kakushi”, which literary means hide horns, and when married, women should be never angry and kill their feelings and serve the family they are married to. I think it can be said that the gorgeous costumes for a wedding are not for married women. Nevertheless, the moment that remains in this picture was a highlight of my mother's life. When I think of her ephemeral and full of suffering life, nothing can last forever, and it also means that the suffering that occurs one after another will come to an end. I want to say to those who see this work the importance of living any moment through my mother's gaze.
Moment-2 Year: 2017 Dimension: 70 inches x 55inches (180cm x 139cm)
Medium: Three-layered Silk Organza, Acid Dye, Pigment
Description
This work was created with reference to a photograph of “Oiran Dochu-a courtesan parade” 100 years ago. At first I was fascinated by the gorgeous costumes of the courtesan and her beautiful appearance. Oiran is actually at the forefront of fashion at that time, and hairstyles with the name of the famous oiran still remain. Later, I knew that her costumes and headdress were about 30 kg, and high clogs were 6 寸 (18 cm) high and 3 kg in weight. The padade was to walk to pick up her rich customer. In addition to her physical and mental strength to withstand such weight, she was very well educated: learning calligraphy, flower arrangement, tea ceremony, waka, haiku, koto, shamisen, go, shogi, to entertain her customers.
Oiran is the highest rank of prostitutes, even if the rank is high, and most of them are sold by parents who need money for various reasons when they were children. They never wished to become a courtesan. Some could become lovers and wives of their customers and quit the prostitute, but some died of syphilis. Oiran earned a lot of money, but she needed to feed lower ranked prostitutes and staff with the money she earned. So I think it was far from a comfortable life. As the courtesan parade was gorgeous, there were many spectators in the photos I referred to. I wonder what she was thinking at the moment of her parade while wearing costumes as heavy as the burden of her life. She teaches us to stay ahead of any harsh life.
Title: Memory Year: 2018 Dimension: 55inches x 32inches (139cm x 80cm)
Medium: Five-layered Silk Gauze, Acid Dye, Pigment
Description
Traditional samurai warriors held the belief that if one was to be properly prepared for battle, then one would have to be prepared for death as well. In addition, the higher-ranking samurai warriors participated in a tea ceremony before a battle began. This ceremony emphasized the ichi-go-ichi-e, which literally translates to "Once and a lifetime." This, often final tea ceremony, served as a symbolic act of understanding the important moment, they as warriors, were about to embark upon. It also served as a symbol of their personal acceptance of their own impermanence. These warriors wore armor not only for the obvious practical purposes, but also as an identifier for their family and clans when they die in the battle field. By decorating their armor with ornate silk threads/cords, painted iron scales, leather, and decorative gilding, their armor served a greater purpose than simple protection from bodily harm. Thus, this armor served more than just an identifier for surviving loved ones, but as a symbol that evoked the dignity and bravery of each of the fallen. During my process of making this work, I intended to display how ephemeral our lives as humans really are, in contrast with the everlasting, yet retired, beautiful traditional samurai warrior that no longer has a place on our modern battlefields.
Title: Mercy Year: 2016 Dimension: 70 inches x 55inches (180cm x 139cm)
Medium: Three-layered Silk Organza, Acid Dye, Pigment
Description
In this work, three pieces of organza were dyed, and the three dyed pieces were installed at intervals. I used a unique dyeing technique developed from the Yuzen dyeing technique.
The subject matter is the mercy of Buddha. Many animals and plants cover the Buddha, and only the hands of the Buddha are visible. The hand ties a welcome sign and holds a peach. The welcoming seal is a sign that you can go to paradise, and peach has been popular in China and Japan as a plant that drives away evils and gives longevity, and has been used as a lucky pattern in Japan.
Buddha preached that birth, aging, sickness, and death are the inevitable sufferings of this world. He also taught that all creatures are equally precious.
Although we regard birth as a happy event, we tend to avoid thinking about getting old, getting sick, and dying as much as possible and seek to live a happy life. When we separate “ourselves” from “others”, we do it “ humans” and “other creatures.” We consider everything as convenient for humans and kill anything harmful to us without mercy. Even though dogs and cats live less than 15 years, we leave them in the house and love them only when it's convenient.
The recent outbreak of the new virus is attributed to migratory birds whose swamps have been robbed by development, wild animals whose forests have been deprived of their homes, and chickens and pigs that are mass-produced like industrial products. If we can imagine the pain of something other than ourselves without thinking about our own pleasure and convenience, and if we can have the mercy of the Buddha's preaching, problems in the global environment and the emergence of new diseases will find better solutions.
Title: Emaciated Year: 2019 Dimension: 12inches (30cm) rond
Medium: Three-layered Silk Organza, Acid Dye, Pigment, Bamboo Hoop
Description
Super thin body and high heel are human's desire, which are embedded by commercial strategies.
Title: Obesity Year: 2019 Dimension: 12inches (30cm) round
Medium: Three-layered Silk Organza, Acid Dye, Pigment, Bamboo Hoop
Description
Everyone knows obesity is bad for health. But understanding and avoiding it is different
As long as we enjoy our life with instant pleasure, it is hard to escape from this danger. Actually there is no obesity in nature life and this frog is just looking fat. The butterfly symbolize America.
Title:Addiction Dimension: 12inches (30cm) round
Medium: Three-layered Silk Organza, Acid Dye, Pigment, Bamboo Hoop
Description
We tend to drop in addiction and sometimes we do not recognize it.
Title: Eco Luxe Dimension: 12inches (30cm) round
Medium: Three-layered Silk Organza, Acid Dye, Pigment, Bamboo Hoop
Description
"Eco" is now commonly cared but I wonder what is true eco-friendly and what is "Eco Luxe". We should aware that "Eco" is used for advertisement to sell products.
Title: Desire Dimension: 12inches (30cm) round
Medium: Three-layered Silk Organza, Acid Dye, Pigment, Bamboo Hoop
Description
People try to make themselves looking good. The lipstick is resemble to a bullet. The lipstick will shoot someone's heart with attraction like a bullet.
Title: Reality Dimension: 12inches (30cm) round
Medium: Three-layered Silk Organza, Acid Dye, Pigment, Bamboo Hoop
Description
With the development of technology, now it is very hard to judge which is truly real.
Title: Religion Dimension: 12inches (30cm) round
Medium: Three-layered Silk Organza, Acid Dye, Pigment, Bamboo Hoop
Description
Christmas is celebrate world wide. However, we should keep in mind that it is a religious event. One's common sense is not always shared with anyone.
Title: Seeking Year: 2019 Dimension: 12inches (30cm) round
Medium: Three-layered Silk Organza, Acid Dye, Pigment, Bamboo Hoop
Description
People are always seeking happiness. Some times they do not recognize how happy they are in their current life.
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