Hikari Shimodaâs âThe Catastrophe of Death and Regenerationâ at Asahi Art Museum.
Opening on Saturday, July 7th, 2018 at the Asahi Art Museum in Nagano, Japan is artist Hikari Shimodaâs mid-career survey of her artwork entitled, âThe Catastrophe of Death and Regeneration.â
Shimoda arrived onto the international scene in 2014 with her U.S. exhibition âFantastic Planet, Goodbye Man,â introducing her ongoing series entitled âChildren of This Planetâ and âWhereabouts of God,â which are highlighted throughout the exhibit. Themes presented in those works are cultivated and arranged into the exhibitâs centerpiece, entitled âThe Catastrophe of Death and Regeneration,â a highly detailed collage mural that took several months to complete.
Her striking portraits of big-eyed children with a bruised complexion and sparkling slit throats have been described as macabre, even grotesque, masked with âhappyâ colors. Collages of cute stickers and glitter are added for sparkle effect. These roughed up heroes and heroines are the only hope for salvation of the dying modern landscape they inhabit, a netherworld bursting with problems as humanity struggles to cope with its imminent demise.
The exhibit is being hosted by Shimodaâs hometown museum, the Asahi Art Museum in Nagano, located in Japanâs beautiful countryside which has provided her with inspiration from the start. âItâs a place where I can think deeply and feel a quiet loneliness,â she explains. âI am still portraying feelings of loneliness and despair. We should put our eyes on every single piece of this world, share it and exchange opinionsâŠthis might prevent us from destruction and help us to make an important step forward for humanity.â
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