Panel ten - Selected by Wakana NISHINO
Curator Comment by NISHINO Wakana about “Wow!!” by KOGURE Michiko and ARUGA Ayaka
What do you think of when you hear the word ‘cultivate’? It's a word that you don't usually hear, but I think there are many people who imagine fields and plants. The theme of this exhibition, ‘cultivate’, is a word that has nuances such as ‘to plow a field’ and ‘acquire’. “Wow !!”, a collaboration between KOGURE Michiko and ARUGA Ayaka, is a work created with the theme of surprise and excitement when you first encounter something new.
When learning something new, people feel various emotions. You may be surprised, happy, warm-hearted, and sometimes sad, angry, or hateful. Regardless of the emotion, one’s inner world grows with new stimulus. It is the same as a plant that grows receiving water and sunlight.
What kind of emotions does the creature in the center of this work really have? It may be in the middle of being impressed or desperately trying to appeal for something. It may be asking us what we feel and what we get when we see this work.
Curator Comment by NISHINO Wakana about “Outside” by Lucy ALLEN
What do you imagine when you see this work? One might imagine lush trees, powerfully flowing water, or the flow of human blood. The strength of each line makes us feel momentum and strong vitality.
Plants grow steadily in the light. But before that, they prepare themselves in the darkness where no one can see them. It is the same for us humans. In order to accomplish something, to grow, we prepare ourselves. You have to work hard out of sight. That effort will one day show us the blue sky. The time spent struggling in the darkness is nourishing for growth.
This work makes us feel the momentum and strong vitality. However, behind this strength, there must have been invisible suffering and effort. Even such a background is expressed in this work.
KOGURE Michiko (Artist)
Born in Tokyo. She is enrolled in the Concentration in Oil Painting and Printmaking at Joshibi University of Art and Design.
ARUGA Ayaka (Artist)
Born in Chiba, Japan.
Belonging (Univ & Speciality): She is enrolled in the Concentration in Oil Painting and Printmaking at Joshibi University of Art and Design.
Lucy ALLEN (Artist)
Born in England. She is enrolled in the Art & Design Foundation Studies Course at Loughborough University.
Instagram: @lucinda.a_art
NISHINO Wakana (Curator)
Born in Saitama, Japan. She is enrolled in the Concentration in Art and Culture at Joshibi University of Art and Design. She belongs to the Art Representation Seminar and the Color Science Seminar. She likes reading books.