ExhibitionTitle: Symbiosis
July,3 ~July,25 /2021
“Symbiosis,” which means to live together, is a term used when one species does not exclude another species, but shares the same space and establishes a close relationship with another. What about human symbiosis? Rather than a symbiotic relationship like in the natural ecosystem, human relationships suffer due to competition, conflict, and problems of social selection that arise out of indifference. One role of an artist is to try to express the positive aspects and necessity of establishing relationships while reminding us to remember some people are alienated from society for various, often unimportant, reasons. Through my “Symbiosis” exhibition, I hope to give the audience an opportunity to appreciate the relationships where they garner support and think about how they may help those who may feel excluded.
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The “My Tree” series began with the experience of moving from the United States to Japan in 2016. After coming to Japan, my American husband and I had a hard time adjusting to a new culture and language. Then one day, I saw a tree. It was a tree where two separate tree trunks grew together to form a single canopy. I thought that the appearance of two trees with dividing roots, weaving stems, and blooming green leaves is similar to the way my husband and I work together to overcome adversity. I also think it’s like other relationships: couples, partners, parents, and children. Later, I learned that there was a term for these types of trees: “Yeonri Ji” (連理枝).
At that time, I made this tree as a drawing using oil pastels. I then wanted to express it in my own unique way of using both sculpture and acrylic paint. The trees’ shape was inspired by those I saw in Luxembourg Park in Paris, which I visited several years ago. All the trees in the park were in the shape of a rectangle with a round tip resembling a loaf of bread. I sat in the park for a while and looked at the trees and the landscape, and as I kept looking, I saw and heard the leaves swaying in the wind. I liked the feeling so much and wanted to capture it. I started to visualize the movement of the trees and leaves using a wooden canvas and a carving knife. I used a carving knife on the canvas after the painting was completed and sculpted it to raise the end of the wood surface. The rounded ends gathered together to look like water droplets on a tree from a distance, and like leaves on a tree branch from close. Carving the leaves from different angles produced a sense of motion as if the wind was blowing through the trees.
The flowers drawn between the green leaves all had different shapes and colors. It is impossible in the real world to have various kinds of flowers blooming on one tree and growing in harmony. But in my tree, various flowers live together and bloom beautifully. This resembles our society where people of various races, cultures, and personalities live, and it also contains the hope of living in harmony with these flowers.
YRK STUDIO 