Well-known Itoshima artist-run gallery, studio and residency program Studio Kura will host an exhibition featuring the work of international artists. This time’s exhibition will feature works by six artists.
• 2/25 (Sat.), 2/26 (Sun.)
• Artist Talk: 2/25 (Sat.)14:30~
• 11:00~17:00
• Free entry
• Studio Kura
• 586 Nijo-masue, Itoshima City, Fukuoka
• 092-325-1773
• https://studiokura.info/en/
01. Saskia Martindale (United Kingdom)
Title: Uncomfortable Comfort
Saskia Martindale (UK) is a designer and maker of objects, props, and sets. Her work tends to be humorous and playful, focusing on bright colors and interesting textures. She also enjoys finding new uses for everyday objects by repurposing them or using found objects. She does not take her work too seriously and always enjoys the design process, exploring different techniques to keep herself occupied. For this exhibition, she is showing works inspired by certain objects she saw during her stay in Japan, which she made from unusual materials. The works on display are simultaneously comfortable and uncomfortable, as if in a different but very familiar place.
02. Prisca Youn (United States)
Title: Reflections in Itoshima
Prisca Youn is a mixed media painter primarily interested in the space and light reflections created between organic textures and movements. Her work is an abstract exploration of the subtle joys and surprises of organic life around us, and during her residency at Studio Kura, Prisca seeks to absorb the beauty of the laid-back rural life of Itoshima and express the light, color, and textures inherent in this environment. Prisca holds a BFA in Interdisciplinary Visual Arts from the University of Washington and is currently based in the Pacific Northwest of the United States. Curious about how the natural environment makes us who we are and how we interact with the world, “Reflections in Itoshima” explores how the movement of color, texture, and light that affects our inner world is reflected in our own, abstract It is an abstract exploration of the natural environment of Itoshima, as well as a personal reflection of Prisca Youn’s own presence in this space and place.
03. Eric Joseph Xue (United States)
Title: Couple Echoes/ What’s Left
Eric Joseph Xue (United States) is a maker and metalsmith based in Brooklyn, New York. His practice is driven by the creation of objects that are both functional and non-functional, seeking a balance between technology, structure, and the fundamental nature of matter. His diaspora background influences his work, as well as his consideration of cultural authenticity and the social implications of materials in the public realm. The title of the work in this exhibition is Couple Echoes/ What’s Left. His work is composed of materials he has fabricated or found. His work is inspired by the things around us, and by reinterpreting things that are closely related to our daily lives, he presents new perspectives. In this exhibition, two of his works will be on display. One is titled “Couple Echoes” and is primarily composed of objects, and the other is titled “What’s Left” and is an installation work that reuses objects left in the artist’s living space. His works express a creative point of view and aesthetic sense.
04. Maria Vazquez (United States)
Title: Peinarse (to comb)
Maria Vasquez is based in Port Chester, NY and holds a BFA from SUNY Purchase.
In this exhibition, I am embedding my hair in various environments that I have explored and experienced while in Itoshima. My work is inspired by the altars of temples and shrines I have visited. Each piece is an experiment combining my culture and current environment to create surrealistic images that convey different messages.
05. Mercedes Ng (United States)
Title: In the Midst of Gods
Mercedes Ng was born and raised in Hong Kong and is now living in Salt Lake City, Utah. She was educated at the University of Utah and later finished her Bachelor of Arts at Brigham Young University in 2020. She specializes in oil paintings that are associated with her upbringing and her identity as a BIPOC artist. This series of paintings is derived from the buildings I see as I take the train around Fukuoka. Being raised in a major city, I have always been fascinated by the sense of safety and comfort I feel whenever I’m inside a building. It’s more often than not, a bubble of respite; a step apart from the bustling streets. But as I ride my train and watch these buildings swiftly pass by, I see glimpses of people’s intimate lives. Through patios and windows, I see people leisurely minding their own business. Through mundane acts such as taking down their laundry or tending their plants, these people glory in the space provided to them. I wonder how much we take for granted individual shelter and security. It is quite customary for people to pray to the gods in shrines and temples for their protection. But ultimately, shelter is our best and most abundant form of security. Whether you live in a house, an apartment, or even a small hovel, there is protection to be found in shelter. Not only from the elements, but from the frantic pace of life. During this 4-week residency, I have attempted to glorify these mundane buildings and paint them as our own warding gods.
06. Siba Sahabi (Germany / Iran)
Siba Sahabi is a German-Iranian interdisciplinary artist. In addition to objects and sculptures she creates theatre sets and installations for buildings and public spaces. Her award-winning work has been exhibited internationally in museums and galleries such as Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes in Buenos Aires and Saatchi Gallery in London.Siba Sahabi is creating the set design of a short film that is about transience. The short film will be realised in collaboration with the dancer Wataru Murakami and filmmaker/photographer Yulia Skogoreva.
