Works in URUSHI and lithographic print by Naoko Ito
Medialia Gallery proudly presents the fantasy world of Naoko Ito (伊藤尚子) from Osaka, Japan. In her third exhibition at the gallery, Ito returns to New York City to share her surreal world in urushi, lithographic prints, and in the medallic art format using urushi, copper, and resin casting.
Ito has been a professor at the Faculty of Literature, Arts and Cultural Studies at Kindai University, Osaka, Japan, since 1989. She is a former adjunct instructor of urushi at Kyoto University of Art and Design. She worked as an artisan at the illustrious Zohiko Urushi Shop in Kyoto which was founded in 1661. Urushi (漆) is the rarified Japanese art of applying lacquer to surfaces such as wood, pottery, and copper.
Ito describes her world as:
The studio at the university art department is like a cluttered forest. There are many nests of catbirds. In each nest, there is a sleeping girl, asleep full of dreams. And I, as usual, am a resident of the dream world and pretend to be a teacher, who is always on in summer solstice night. A place called school is unique in the world, much like a crystal. It is the season of crystal picking. (Death • A Tree of Universe • Snake-Charmer [Serpent] • Elf Fire • Shadow Figure •銀木犀 • Lunar Eclipse • Five Dimensions World • Saint Horse • Horn • Crypt • Westerly Wind)
November 5th through 28th • 2017
