Akiko Ao Mosaic Exhibition "Taikuu—In the air "
Exhibition concept:
"My hometown is so far away that I feel it." During the ten-odd years I lived in Greece, every time I came into contact with Greek culture, I reconfirmed that Japan has a unique sense of balance that finds beauty in moderation.
I think that the culture of this country has the courage to keep in mind the transition from one neutral color to another, which is difficult to name, such as the morning glow, and appreciate the faint yet deep subtleties.
Mosaic is a painting technique that has been developed since ancient times in Europe, in which people, animals and plants are depicted by arranging stone fragments.
The word originates from the goddesses called Muses who appear in Greek mythology. It governs the arts, music, singing, dancing, and other literary arts. Literature is the act of telling a story using materials, bodies, and tools, and in the case of music, we enjoy the story of songs using sounds. In the case of mosaics, fragments of stones and tiles are expressed like sounds in music or letters in novels.
"The greatest feature of this labor-intensive method is the color of the stone." The color of the stone is very complex and has depth, so it is not something that can be collectively named ◯◯ color. This is what I call an abyssal neutral color.
The fusuma paintings in the rooms of Ninna-ji Temple are particularly eye-catching, and the neutral colors that have been loved in Japan since ancient times are impressive. All of the scenes depicted there are filled with the “sign of water”, and it feels as if the humidity is enveloping the people. From this, I came to think that neutral colors themselves contain humidity. In this exhibition, we plan to use stone mosaics to reproduce various scenes created by rain, which is a form of water, and to create a space where visitors can enjoy the delicate color combinations of fusuma paintings and other interior spaces by using various neutral colors.
I hope that the sight of the colors of the abyss stone illuminated by gentle light in a clean space that has been filtered over a long period of time will be a memorable experience for the viewer.
PROFILE:
About the Artist Akioko Ao- Mosaic Sculptor Founder of Atelier AIGAIO
During her childhood visit to Greece, Akioko was captivated by a small stone figurine created at the beginning of the Cycladic period in the Aegean Sea, "The Man Playing the Harp," dating back to 3000 BC. This encounter sparked her interest in art. Later, during her exploration to learn about ancient Greek civilization in Sicily, she encountered ancient Roman mosaics, feeling a sense of tranquility in their long-aged, bright beauty.
The name of her atelier, "AEGEAN," is derived from the Greek word for the Aegean Sea. Over several years of traveling to this sea and various archaeological sites worldwide, including Japan, she has learned and created gentle forms touched by time and nature. Through her art, she explores universal beauty.
Born in 1976 in Inazawa, Aichi Prefecture, she graduated from Kobe University's Department of Developmental Science, specializing in sculptural expression theory. Subsequently, she became a special auditor at the Athens School of Fine Arts in 2001 and established Atelier AIGAIO in 2002. From 2006 to 2016, she worked at the Mosaic Workshop [Antonis Lionis] in Athens, specializing in creating Byzantine mosaics for church architectural decoration, particularly focusing on facial features.
◉ Awards ◉ 2019.10 Mosaic Exhibition 2019 (Yokohama City Gallery Azamino) - Excellent Work 2017.10-11 GAeM (Ravenna, Italy) - Selection 2017.09 Mosaic Exhibition 2017 (Yokohama City Gallery Azamino) - Encouragement Award 2014.08 Mosaic Exhibition 2014 (Fuchu City Art Museum Civic Gallery) - Mosaic Conference Award
◉ Solo Exhibitions & Group Exhibitions ◉ 2021.12 "Akioko Aoi Mosaic Exhibition - Nostalgia -" (Contemporary Tearoom La Neige / Kyoto) 2021.7-9 "Akioko Aoi Mosaic Exhibition - Impression White-Filtered" (Night Gallery JenJen / Nagoya) 2021.4 "Perspectives From Japan: A Group Exhibition of Japanese Mosaic Artists" (the Gallery of Contemporary Mosaics / Chicago, USA) Since 2012, she has been consistently holding 2-8 solo exhibitions annually and organizing or participating in group exhibitions.
★Satellite Exhibition at La Neige :"Past Achievements" will be held as well
as below:
November 7th (Tuesday) to 10th (Friday) from 12:00 to 18:00
November 14th (Tuesday) to 17th (Friday) from 12:00 to 18:00
The artist, Akioko Ao, will be present on Friday.
Presence via Zoom on Tuesday to Thursday.
Admission Fee: 500 yen (Hopefully please pay by cash)."
The works you can see at La Neige are :
We will wait you at Ninnaji and at La Neige.