Language

Haruka

 

 

My exhibition explores mystical and organic forms of nature. This was initially explored through 2D pieces that were based on photographs that I took. Gradually my work shifted into more decorative wearable art pieces, as I began to explore nature with 3D forms and enjoyed working with wire sculpture. I was inspired by my grandmother who shared her love of gardening with me to create delicate jewelry and wire works with themes of nature. My exhibition showcases delicacy and the intricate and sinuous lines and shapes in nature.

I initially started by working on 2D pieces such as charcoal drawings, mixed media, and acrylic paintings. I represented delicate plants and flowers in the city around me in Plants and Coblestones. The acrylic painting Kamenozoki were heavily inspired by Georgia O’Keeffe and her blending of colors and framing, zooming in on the flowers.

Leaves is an influential piece in my exhibition, as I started to explore thin and delicate shapes and lines from nature with this piece, leading me to work with porcelain clay. I later used this technique for the ceramic masks Disguise of Dryad and Ethereal to express the fragility of the forms I was trying to represent.

I then discovered that wire was one of the best materials to work with to make ‘wearable’ pieces and freely manipulate them into fine and curved lines. I was heavily influenced by the stylised curved forms of Art Nouveau, especially Hector Guimard’s work.

The corset piece Metamorphosis and arm piece The Path of Water were the most successful in capturing the sinuous forms of butterfly wings and water. For Metamorphosis the body of the corset captured the elegant forms of the wings, and the wings made with thinner wire showcase the delicacy of the butterfly wings. While the arm piece successfully captured the swirling sinuous lines and forms of water splashing and swirling. `

I was able to experiment with various thicknesses of wire which helped me understand the appropriate types of wire for different purposes. I used thick wire to create the frame of the wearable art pieces. I took time experimenting with sculpting the wires into organic forms of wind and water. This process contained stages of building up, repetitively adding and taking away elements, and refining the design to end up with the final wearable pieces. During the process, I needed to repair the pieces multiple times due to the fragile nature of the materials and forms I created. In the final stage, I adorned the pieces with beads and chains to convey the mystical character, also contributing to the decorative aspect of my works.

My exhibition space is a small rectangular room with two entry points; I utilized the four walls to exhibit my pieces. The first piece the audience will see through the main entry point is the leaves displayed on a low plinth, they are laid out diagonally drawing the viewer into my exhibition. By placing the plinth in the center of my exhibition space it allows the audience to freely go around and observe the forms of the leaves from different angles. I grouped the floral pale colored paintings together and two pieces that were based on the photographs I captured in the city, while I dispersed my wearable pieces across the exhibition. By displaying my 3D pieces on plinths and mannequins throughout the exhibition space it allowed the pieces to ‘breathe’ and space for the audience to be able to observe the forms and details from different angles. I added photographs to reinforce the purpose of each piece, showcasing how they look worn on a model and allow the viewer to notice more details that are hard to observe with the lighting and white background of the exhibition space.

Through my exhibition I hope that the viewer can observe the delicacy and fine details of my artworks and immerse themselves in the beauty of the natural forms and sinuous lines that nature creates in my decorative pieces. In the later pieces I would like the audience to understand my intention to decorate the human body using organic lines and motifs and to consider the relationship between sculpture and jewelry. 

 

 

Cobblestones (September 2020)

Charcoal and chalk

48 x 62cm

Cobblestones is a charcoal drawing of a small plant growing on a pavement taken by the school campus taken by myself. The liveliness of the plant is emphasized by the contrast between the busy background filled with cobblestones, and the sturdiness of the single short plant in the foreground. The use of the perspective techniques developed in the renaissance era gives an illusion of looking through a window, attracting the viewer to the piece.

 

 

Plants (October 2020)

Mixed media and ink on paper

85 x 28 cm

Plants is a concertina piece with mixed media layered, completed by the series of plant drawings.

The different textures created by different materials stuck on the base give more depth to the drawings. This technique was heavily inspired by Karen Stamper. The photos that each drawing corresponds to were carefully chosen from many other pictures taken around the school campus. When selecting the photos I focused on the liveliness of the plant, growing from the small creeks of ceramic structures.

 

 

Leaves (November 2020)

Porcelain, glaze

15 x 5 x 4cm (Each piece) 4 x 92 x 92cm (instalation)

Leafs is a series of carefully sculptured, 40 individual leafs put together to create an installation. Each leaf is delicate due to the thin structures that are molded into different forms. Each leaf is detailed with leaf veins that were pressed in by a mold, and wavy edges that were created by pressing on my fingers. Each leaf represents an individual leaf in its own form rolled, bent, and contorted. Inspirations were from the charcoal drawing and the pile of autumn leaves on the streets.

 

 

Flower (December 2020)

Acrylic on canvas

30 x 30 cm

Flower is an acrylic piece on a mini canvas. The painting is based on a close-up picture of a delicate flower with multiple layers of thin petals. The slight contrast in colors to show the composition of the flower took much time, and the intricate details of how the petals folded took a long time to observe and figure out on the canvas. The composition, zoomed into the delicate petals of the flower was inspired by Georgia O’Keeffe’s magnified flower paintings.

 

 

Kamenozoki (October 2021)

Acrylic paint on canvas

156 x 48cm

One of the main characteristics of this piece is the elongated proportions of the canvas that mimics the proportions of the Japanese scroll paintings ”kakejiku.” The composition was also inspired by the scroll paintings, where the subject, the flowers, are concentrated on one corner of the canvas. The flowers were originally taken from the photos I took over the summer. The layering of light yellow in the petals of the flowers was inspired by the big flower paintings by Georgia O'Keeffe.

 

 

Metamorphosis (December 2021)

Wire and ribbon

43 x 51 x 22cm

Metamorphosis is a wearable art piece inspired by the delicate structures of Morpho butterfly wings.

The corset consists of curved lines and shapes that mimic the structure of the wings, with the butterfly wing attached to its front. The organic sinuous forms were inspired by Hector Guimard’s architecture, full of curvy lines that remind us of the delicate forms of nature. The mystical yet elegant and bold appearance represents the appearance of a butterfly itself.

 

 

The Path of Water (January 2022)

Wire, beads

55 x 13 cm

The Path of Water is a wearable art piece inspired by the sinuous forms of water. The wire represents the streaks and swirls of water, while the beads capture the droplets of water. The curvy lines that represent organic forms were inspired by Hector Guimard’s architecture pieces. The piece is divided into two parts with an adjustable ring, making it wearable and easy to freely move the arm and hand. The flexible nature of the wire makes it adjustable to most arm sizes.

 

 

Sounds of the sylph  (June 2021)

Wire, chain, beads

27 x 21 x 1cm

This piece was my first attempt at making “wearable art.” It is a wearable earpiece that extends to the back of the head. Inspired by mystical features of fictional creatures and elegant characteristics. I focused on the form of the extending wires to capture the movement of wind and feathery textures. To add to the elegant features I adorned the piece with pearl beads and chains.

 

 

Disguise of Dryad (March 2022)

Porcelain, wire, feather, beads, ink

53cm x 45 x 20 cm

This piece is a mask, as one of my wearable art pieces inspired by the thin structure of leaves. I was inspired to make mask pieces with wire by James Merry’s face mask pieces that consist of sinuous curvy forms. The thin porcelain sculptures make the piece extremely fragile, only supported by the wire, adorned with strips of feather and tiny beads. The structure of the wire goes across the face, creating an elegant appearance. The piece hopes to convey the beauty of delicacy of nature.

 

 

Ethereal (March 2022)

Porcelain, wire, feather, beads, ink

53cm x 45cm

This piece is a mask that covers half the face, as one of my wearable art pieces inspired by butterflies. This piece like to my previous one Disguise of Dryad and was also influenced by James Merry’s masks. The mask consists of curved lines and shapes that mimic half of a butterfly. The subtle purple tone, feathers, and beads create a mystical and elegant appearance, like the appearance of a butterfly. The thin porcelain sculptures make the piece extremely fragile, only supported by the wire.