19/2/2020
The animals in the prints are so beautiful and adorable that there is a need for a word other than ‘cute’. But that’s what they are – cute.
When I first saw Kyoko Imazu’s works I thought, ‘it can’t be helped that this artist chose such adorable animals to draw.’
Imazu draws etchings of stuffed animals from Melbourne Museum backroom. Stuffed animals are filled in movable shelves from the ceiling to the floor. Among the thousands, even tens of thousands of stuffed animals, some are missing ears, losing hair or quite dirty. Some have scary faces, some of no hair, only skin. There is even a real animal in the lower level.
Among this wee bit scary room, you will see Imazu’s stuffed animal inspiration.
‘This is what love is made of. It’s different than the photo, and you can really see parts of it like hair up close, totally different in person.’
It takes from 40 minutes up to an hour to complete a sketch, and then gets inscribed in an etching copper plate at the home workshop.
‘I draw it hair by hair, showing my admiration’, says Imazu.
Upon looking closely on the work, I got a feel of a Japanese style, even though the theme and technique are completely different. Once I told that to Imazu, she responded ‘that makes me happy’ and ‘Japanese people draw lots of comics when they are young right? Even I tend to make eyes glistening to add a sense of cuteness. Now I feel like adding that to this work.’
I asked her what her favourite work out the 6 was and she responded by saying the etching of the young Malay Tapir was. Just as I thought. It’s adorably cute, so cute you just want to hug it.
‘The shape of the nose is quite strange, and while the adult would have 2-tone colour, but for this I’ve drawn with colours and patterns like that of a cute baby. I drew this with all my love'. Underneaerth this work is a description from Imazu.
“I tried to mix colours as beautiful as his but I'm not sure if I got quite right. Well I don't think any art can ever be as beautiful as he is.”
A more beautiful object can’t be asked for. But wanting to go up close will help draw hair by hair.
‘The love from my determination and energy has created this.’ Imazu’s ‘Mammals from Melbourne Museum’ works are on exhibit at JICC until the 28th.
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There is actually another world of Imazu’s. A collaboration with Damon Kowarsky showing at ‘Atrium’ on level 35 of the Sofitel Hotel in the city.
lemur and squid, 2012
It’s different to her ‘Mammals from Melbourne Museum’ where she puts her love her work into words. This style is more strange and humorous, and sometimes eerie and weird.
The collaboration process was simple. Kowarsky would draw a sketch, and Imazu would draw graffiti art over that. Kowarsky would draw his part on to a copper plate, and then pass it on to Imazu. Lastly the two would etch.
Both have a common interest in science, adding to Imazu’s love for animals, mythology, and monsters, and Kowarsky’s love of technology and robots. By overlapping parts of each other’s common interests with those that aren’t, it creates a bold yet delicate, impersonal yet personal, dry yet warm, and strange world.
Imazu thought ‘whenever I was adding graffiti art to Damon’s works I would think stupid thoughts. If I draw like this Damon might laugh, he might be shocked, maybe it would be interesting to hollow out a squid’s eye. We create our works while always laughing together.’ The collaboration started in 2010. Once when Imazu saw Kowarsky’s picture of a helicopter flying above a town, she thought ‘I really want to add rabbits to the town in this picture.’
So she said to Kowarsky, ‘I want to vandalise your drawing.’
That’s what started ‘Damon-Kyoko world’. This exhibition will be the 8th. Among that includes many exhibitions in the botanical cosmetic shop ‘Aesop’. 2010 was at the Flinders Lane shop, 2011 in Tokyo and Aoyama, and last year in Fitzroy, Carlton, and New Town in Sydney.
[Exhibition at the Aesop Aoyama store]
The reason behind the project series at Aesop is very interesting. When a man was admiring the works of Kowarsky that were collected on the footpath while the studio he had used was being vacated, he suggested that Kowarsky uses his shop. Naturally, Kowarsky, being fond of strange and interesting things, said yes. That shop turned out to be Aesop.
When printing the etchings for the exhibitions at Aesop, I directly stick the large amounts of practice prints onto the wall. The prints blend into the pure and sophisticated walls of Aesop.
Imazu laughed ‘I felt it was such a waste to throw out the practice prints, so thanks to Aesop I can just leave them there.’ I really want to continue with these projects.
Actually the location of the next exhibition at level 35 of the Sofitel Hotel has a familiar feel.
‘The view from these bathrooms are great, so when I first came to Melbourne I would come here a lot. Everyone should check out the view.’
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‘Actually I like them both equally’, Kyoko Imazu explains about her two different worlds. You can see all of the summer-kissed Melbourne in one glance. Let’s call it the lucky summer.
Interview – Noriko Tabei
Translation - Adam Feldman
Mammals from Melbourne Museum, recent prints by Kyoko Imazu
Until 28 February 2020, Mon-Fri 9am-1pm, 2pm-5pm, closed on weekends and public holidays
Consulate-General of Japan, Melbourne, Japanese Information and Culture Centre - Level 8, 570 Bourke Street, Melbourne
Kyoko Imazu and Damon Kowarsky - Meet in the Middle
Until 1 April 2020
Atrium Gallery Level 35 Sofitel Melbourne On Collins
25 Collins Street, Melbourne 3000
Editions - Group Print Show (including works of Kyoko Imazu)
Curated by Stephanie Jane Rampton
Until 3 March 2020
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Wed / Fri 11 - 6pm
Sat / Sun 11 - 5pm
Tacitar Contemporary Art, t312 Johnston Street, Abbotsford, Vic 3067,
