Kurumi Kotani
Tracing paths with a fingertip on a condensation-fogged windowpane — I had the chance to see the works of Kurumi Kotani, who uses this act, familiar to everyone, as the motif for her practice.
Still a student at Kyoto University of Art and Design, Kotani made her Tokyo debut at “shibuya style.”
All 9 of her exhibited works sold out, marking her as an artist to watch. *After the 9 works sold out, several additional pieces were brought in, which also sold out.
The worldview she depicts, drawn through expressive techniques rooted in horror and occult sensibilities, is amplified by the peculiarity of her motifs and stirs the viewer’s imagination.
The title of this F50 work, “21g (grams),” is borrowed from Alejandro González Iñárritu’s film “21 Grams.”
In an actual study by a scientist who attempted to measure the weight of the soul, patients’ body weights were measured at the moment of death, and they were said to become “21g” lighter. The film, made from the interpretation that the soul weighs “21g,” had a major influence on Kurumi Kotani’s work and became the catalyst for her “Window Series.”
The title is used as a symbol of things invisible to the eye and mysterious phenomena.
Speaking with a gallery contact I know well, I heard energetic-young-artist-style anecdotes — how her participation was decided through Facebook, and how she made two round trips from Kansai to Tokyo by shinkansen to attend the gallery during the run.
Kurumi Kotani will complete her graduate studies in March 2019 and is stepping onto the path of a full-fledged artist.
I look forward to cheering on her future activities.
