» Introduction:
Mika Ninagawa was born in 1972 in Tokyo. She graduated from the Graphic Design Department at Tama Art University in 1997. She has presented her photographs for and got a prize. In 2001, she also has got Ihei Kimura Photography Prize. Mika is mainly working for wide range of advertising and fashion genre. In the recent year, she has been exhibiting her unique installation works. The major exhibitions are (Tokyo Metropolitan Museum of Photography, 2003), (Kunsthaus Graz, Austria). There were also her solo shows of (LAFORET MUSEUM HARAJUKU which goes round to Japan, 2004), (PARCO Museum, 2003) and many of her exhibitions took numerous places. She is now one of the most super-scanty photographer who works based in Tokyo.
Once you look at her photograph, you will have a strong impression for her spectacular good sensibility of color.,using vivid primary color which makes the depth of gradation on the photograph. Sweetness of her chosen motifs and girlishness, but her dynamic format adds her works boldness and masculinity. Motifs are be categorized by several narrative lines; girls puzzled by the theatrical world, big scale of golden fishes and flowers, landscapes from all over the world where the artist traveled. These scenes with the full vivid colors seem the happiness of the world. But what the artist is interested in is more indecent, artificial beauty, and poisonous images. The artist intentionally uses the motifs of those artificial flowers and imitations.

» Concept:
This will be her first solo show at Tomio Koyama Gallery. There are 17 big size and over 80 small size of photographs which are expected to show in this exhibition. These two series are mixed in her photograph; girl in the fantasy world and landscapes from all over the world where the artist traveled. This uncanny image makes her works more interesting. I would like to change something that momentary disappear into air to high metabolism one. I would like to fixed these scenes (girl in the fantasy world and landscapes from my trip) into one place, with well-honed sensibility. How can I change this transient, ephemeral one to the eternal world?( Mika Ninagawa) From her words, she takes fleeting moment and change it to the eternal world. Engraving ones memory into art could be said that her fundamental desire.
Please do not miss this exhibition. We have got the reference of the artist works.