The Off the Charts Synergy of Artists Ryoko Aoki and Zon Ito
Their joint exhibition is a phenomenal fusion of the two artists' work
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Contemporary Spitalfields gallery Yamamoto Keiko Rochaix has announced a joint exhibition by contemporary Japanese artist duo Ryoko Aoki and Zon Ito from 7 September – 22 November.
The two artists’ works fuse and produce synergy with depth and complexity. The exhibition will touch on the issues of psychological development and the character-building process of young children, making reference to essays on child psychology analysis by Kiyoshi Oka, a well-known Japanese mathematician.
The Off the Charts Synergy of Artists Ryoko Aoki and Zon Ito
Installation view of “Notebook forgotten at three party meeting” at Take Ninagawa, Tokyo, 2018
The two independent artists started collaborating in 2000 and this will be their first joint show in London. Curated by Hikotaro Kanehira, the exhibition will be comprised of works recently created in their Kyoto studios as well as site-specific works, which are being produced within the gallery space this month. As well as site-specific, some works will be city specific as the artists are incorporating found objects from various London locations. The poetic show will centre around paintings, embroidery, small objects and video installations.
The artists’ works refer both to traditional and contemporary Japanese culture. Geometric forms and vibrant colours are recurring themes in Aoki’s work. The artist is often inspired by the natural world, plants and animals as well as depicting fragments of everyday life. Installation is an essential part of her work, which is tailored by each exhibition so that the drawings and other media come together to form a collection. Her body of work often consists of things beyond her own creations, discovered mementos and works by other people that interest her, which when brought together, adopt a greater meaning.
© Ryoko Aoki, courtesy of Take Ninagawa, Tokyo. Photo by Kei Okano
Ito creates using a range of media: embroidered drawings, modelling pictures and hand-made cord drawings. The artist’s choice of hard-to-manipulate media means he can never entirely be in control of his creative process and the end result is not always what he would have originally expected. The rough, energetic lines flow from paper to fabric to screen with engaging sensitivity, infusing into the body of work a sense of serenity in which time appears suspended.
When & Where: Friday 7 September 2018 – Thursday 22 November. 19 Goulston St, London E1 7TP.
