2024.8.1 thu - 8.14 wed
SANBANCHOGALLERY is pleased to present Mao Wakayama's first solo exhibition, "Find my shape."
Wakayama's work, which overlaps concrete expressions of nature and objects with geometric expressions such as polygons and circles, explores the themes of individuality and identity, as well as their ambiguity and transformation.
This exhibition will display two new and old works based on the themes of "being shaped" and "changing," shedding light on the changes in the way she approaches her creative themes and her current state.
1) Form: I am shaped by others
In response to the question "What am I?", which is the foundation of his creative concept, Wakayama answers, "My existence is shaped by others."
Wakayama, who studied at an art university in Beijing for her undergraduate and graduate studies, came to realize through her life and interactions with people from different cultural backgrounds that she felt that she was defined by the people around her in terms of attributes and characteristics such as nationality and gender, and the associated stereotypes. She also realized that the thoughts and values held by the people around her were unconsciously part of what made up who she was.
"Where does Japaneseness, individuality, and identity form? There is no such thing as a pure self that is uninfluenced by anything. Perhaps I exist in the world being shaped and influenced by others," Wakayama thought, and he began to sublimate this idea into his works.
The natural landscapes, animals, and objects depicted in the work represent what I think of myself, and by covering or blocking these with shapes and lines that represent the influences of others, my existence is expressed unsteadily and symbolically as an elephant across the entire canvas.
2) Change – We are changing.
In recent years, Wakayama has broadened his horizons from the creative theme of "being shaped" to focus on how we interact with others and the changes that result from this.
There are many ways to relate to others. Sometimes we feel connected and empathize with others, but sometimes we also have disagreements and conflicts.
And through these interactions, my way of thinking and values change, and my existence gradually takes shape.
In the works under this theme, the elephant of myself, created through "being shaped," and the elephant of others, who are formed in the same way, overlap, shift, and connect, expressing how the existence = elephants interact and change in the relationship between myself and others.
Find my shape
Please enjoy the thoughtful works of Mao Wakayama, who continues to explore her own existence as an artistic expression.
SAN BANCHO GALLERY
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