Hitomi Murakami “Garden of Everlasting Life”
I visited the solo exhibition of sculptor Hitomi Murakami. The venue is “roid works gallery” in Yushima.
It’s been a while since Murakami’s last solo show — the previous one was in 2013 at Gallery Kunimatsu Aoyama.
I had seen her work at various group exhibitions, but this was my first chance to see it in solo-show form, and I had been looking forward to it.
All of the works on display are new pieces made in 2018.
Seen up close, the finished works reveal a meticulous attention to every detail.
Many of the works take women as their motif, and each figure invites the viewer’s imagination through its expression, pose, and form.
From large works to small ones, the sculptural skill is consistently accomplished.
The worldview of the works is coherent throughout, without ever wavering.
The use of color is deft, with the natural color of the clay, the color of the glaze, and the color of the acrylic paint all working in harmony.
The expressiveness of the moss and the texture of the trees and leaves are wonderful, evoking the life of the natural world.
Summary
Ceramic works using clay, with plants as a motif — the way the artist expresses women through themes of life, death, and growth conveys a strong awareness of “nature.”
The finish carries a gentle, soft skin-like quality, and the breath of each piece seems to align in unison, creating a coherent atmosphere.
