Tomio Koyama Gallery Tennoz is pleased to present “Beyond the Skin,” the gallery’s first solo exhibition with artist Akari Yamashita.
Akari Yamashita was born in 1997 in Osaka, and earned both her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in Textiles (with a specialization in Dyeing) at Kyoto Seika University. Yamashita mentions having been greatly inspired by the works of artist Yoshio Kitayama as a student. The main technique that Yamashita employs in her production is the wax dyeing method, the process of which is repeated multiple times to arrive at the completion of the work. I came across Yamashita’s work for the first time in December 2022 at the KOGEI Art Fair in Kanazawa. Although this wax dyeing series had not been showcased on that occasion, I saw her file and wished to see the actual work in person, and thus decided to visit her studio.
While the images appeared somewhat startling at first glance, they seemed to not harbor the kind of sentiment observed in painting, perhaps due to the dyeing technique used in their production. Rather, what had drawn attention and captivated the eye was the sheer beauty of their vivid red hues.
The artist states that she still cannot quite find the words to best express her work, yet there are some things that she manages to articulate:
“I believe that true nakedness is a state in which one has shed even their own skin. The red figures in this series are also deprived of skin, body hair, and other external surface layers, therefore there is no “last threshold” separating the inside from the outside. I believe that people recognize “you” for who you are by looking at the surface. By removing this measure of individuality, I wanted to present the image of a human being who is at once someone yet could be anyone at all. The title “Beyond the Skin” indeed reflects such intention. Looking beyond the skin and further into the depths, these red figures are nothing more than simply human.”
(Akari Yamashita, excerpt from an email to Tomio Koyama)
The figures in her works look towards us with their eyes wide open—the only distinguishable feature that remains of these skinless human beings. The way they are all clustered together in some kind of space, leaning against one another and gazing upon us, makes them appear reminiscent of fetuses waiting to be born into this world with anticipation and fear.
We invite viewers to take this opportunity to engage with the world of Akari Yamashita’s work, and bear witness to her remarkable artistic endeavors.
Tomio Koyama
Akari Yamashita’s Website https://www.yamashita-akari.com
—————————————————————————————–
For press inquiries, please contact: press@tomiokoyamagallery.com
—————————————————————————————–
