Premiering at the UMB Harbor Art Gallery is a show done entirely by Japanese artists, all UMB alumni, in a surprising mix of traditional and nontraditional mediums. The works of Masami Ataka, Ayuko Donovan, Yukie Imai, Eri Nishino, Sachiko Shimosaka, and Akiko Toyonaga will be gracing the walls of the gallery until October 3.
The innovative use of materials such as newsprint, Pez, and cardboard (versus canvas, oil, wood, etc.) made for interesting and eye-catching pieces. A tiled, layered quilt of individual newspaper segments mounted on cardboard and painted makes up a flashy, textured American flag.
The myriad bits of art discussed and debated depicted conceptions and projections of a wide variety of subjects, ranging from the questions of defining “cuteness” to the experiences of other Japanese students.
One particularly interesting work was a black and white photo essay done by Ayuko Donovan. The project spans several feet of the wall and covers the personal experiences of 14 Japanese individuals. Beneath each of their pictures are two pieces of writing: one in Japanese and one in English, describing the impact of being in America.
Another disturbingly amusing piece, created by Eri Nishino, titled “Bunny Killer” shows an adorable little girl weeping over the bloodied, furry remains of her haloed friend. One would assume that she was sad over the particularly violent death of a pet were it not for the fact that she was holding a gun. A critical commentary on “cuteness,” it makes a statement with a childlike picture done in pastel shades.
Other works entice the viewer as well. A pictorial collage of bones and body parts makes up a life-sized projection of the human body. There are several landscapes, completed from the trip to Nantucket this summer, relaxed and gentle in the rolling hills and soft greens.
The idea for this show came from a proposal by Ayuko Donovan. The UMB Harbor Art Gallery holds several shows a year. Some shows are decided by the curator Ian Boyd while others are projects formed by other artists. “I hope everyone gets a chance to come in an see some good artists. There is art at this school – not just brick and mortar.”