A fine artist who pursues the boundary.

Her work explores the meaning of a painting in the present days, using a form of landscape painting as a starting point with choosing one action of it: reproducing the colours from landscape.

Photos of everyday life and landscapes are processed into mosaics, only colour information is extracted, and the dots with it are faithfully drawn with paint. But it’s supported without doubt by the analogue act of walking, the information processed digitally, and the colours reproduced by her hands. So how does the landscape painting convey the meaning of itself, which is broken down into “mix,” “paint,” and “depict,”, and how would viewers see them?

She believes that the abstracted and sophisticated “paintings” can tell something more than “information” to the viewers by taking time to read and understand it. It is an information that includes minor phenomena such as the materiality of canvas, touch of paints, and the physicality of the artist. Moreover, it can be the viewer’s imagination that is embossed in front of a pared-down painting.

Real and abstract, analogue and digital, physical and virtual. Crossing those boundaries, she also seems to quietly examine variations on our post-pandemic way of “walking” the world. While imagining the scenery the artist saw, I hope that the work will serve as a trigger to remind viewers of the meaning of the painting, their sense of beauty, and their own unique world.

25/06/2022 Miki Wanibuchi

In my creating process, the recorded photos of the scenery are digitally and automatically processed into mosaic. Then I try to reproduce the colour faithfully with analogue using paints. This is the work that comes to the centre. I use another canvas as a palette to mix and create colours for painting. This creates an unconscious, innocent body of work of “mixing colour”, and another pure body of work of “painting colour”. The third one is produced to see if we can redefine the word “depict”, while focusing on the single aspect as extracting colour from the landscape, and it ends up forming a triptych.

I try disassembling the elements and focusing on only simple ones, in a painting in which various elements are intertwined. In addition, I create a simple structure consisting of only cloth and paint to reexamine the fundamentals of painting. It’s like a scientist/chemist pursuing something. It could be a fundamental research of art. 

I think there is something that stands out when you leave out the superfluous elements, even your personal feelings. It may be the meaning and interest of landscape painting, personality and physicality of the artist.

I want people to be aware of the relationship between the cloth and the paint itself and the fun of it, apart from applying white foundation. What’s conveyed is how the substances, as the main actors, be and appear, and the quiet words spun by them. And from there, the personality of the artist herself may come out.

The phenomenon is subtle. Because it’s such subtle, I believe that I can create a time and space that elicits the viewer’s sensitivity.

01/12/2022

I call myself “a fine artist who pursues the boundary”, and I have been creating my artwork with an awareness of the difference between physical and digital. At the same time, I hope my works connect places (or stories and histories) with the viewers.

Since the starting point of my career was a painter, the axis of my creation is still placed at painting, and I aimed to create painting to think about what is painting for a painter, using a form of landscape painting as a starting point. I choose only one action of it: reproducing the colours from landscape, and its elements are divided into “mix,” “paint,” and “depict,” forming a triptych. Based on that, I would like the viewers, who follow what the artist thinks, to realise once again that they are also here trying to find their answers themselves.

I think that the abstracted and sophisticated “paintings” can tell something more than “information” to the viewers by taking time to read and understand it. It is an Information that includes minor phenomena such as the materiality of canvas, touch of paints, and the physicality of the artist. In the series “REVIVE”, I use the record of photos of meals before and after the surgery. I have processed the photos into mosaics, extracted colours from them, and faithfully painted dots with it. A set of dots painted would include the scenery where the protagonist is and the time lapse of act of eating, however, that’s not all I want you to see through the painting.

With the development of ICT, we are now in an age where enormous amounts of information can be obtained instantly. It looks like the default to get an instant answer from the others. A hint of fear the artist remembers in a speedy stream of this world may be her yearning to remember the world, things and people in real. The technology of NFT has been developed, while it looks further shook the uniqueness in works of art. However, I will continue making landscape paintings to keep track of this evolving world.

20/04/2022

I think that the abstracted and sophisticated “paintings” can tell something more than “information” to the viewers by taking time to read and understand it. It is an Information that includes minor phenomena such as the materiality of canvas, touch of paints, and the physicality of the artist.

In the series “REVIVE”, I use the record of photos of meals before and after the surgery. I have processed the photos into mosaics, extracted colours from them, and faithfully painted dots with it. A set of dots painted would include the scenery where the protagonist is and the time lapse of act of eating, however, that’s not all I want you to see through the painting.

I aimed to create painting to think about what is painting for a painter, using a form of landscape painting as a starting point. I choose only one action of it: reproducing the colours in landscape, and it’s elements are divided into “mix,” “paint,” and “depict,”  in order to form a triptych. Based on that, I would like the viewers, who follow what the artist thinks, to realise once again that they are also here trying to find their answers themselves.

With the development of ICT, we are now in an age where enormous amounts of information can be obtained instantly. It looks like the default to get an instant answer from the others. A hint of fear the artist remembers in a speedy stream of this world may be her yearning to remember the world, things and people in real. The technology of NFT has been developed, while it looks further shook the uniqueness in works of art. However, I will continue making landscape paintings to keep track of this evolving world.

01/12/2021

A realistic painting can be an illusion in the sense of existential. On the contrast, an abstract painting can be said very real, in the materiality of its paints and supports and in the physicality manifested by brush strokes etc.

My painting belongs to neither. In other words, it explores the origin of a painting using a form of landscape painting as a starting point. I choose only one action of it: reproducing the colours in landscape. This does not exclude the possibility of any accidental intervention.

Is it just a depiction, or something that connects people to people, people to society, and the past to the present?

This simple action would reveal the (un-)necessity of a painting viewed by the people living in today’s society.

01/03/2020

The boundary line that lies between us is like the skin that tells us we can never be completely identical. I believe it is like the horizon. Even if we thought we reached out and touched it with our hand we could not go the other side of the line. But that’s alright. This is because knowing should not be such an easy thing.

The purpose of my expression is to reaffirm understanding people, or knowing and accepting that others are different from oneself.

The white surface is supposed to be the boundary line which is the point of contact between oneself and others (=the world). In the far off boundary line shown in white, there is a landscape seen by the artist. You would not truly know the things seen by the artist in the real meaning. However, I want you to try and follow the process of deconstructing each colour of the scenery as if tracing the artist’s thoughts. Hopefully, then you will be able to get a little closer to the view I saw. I think this may be an illustration of “understanding”.

It’s the period like you can feel like you know everything easily just by swiping the touchscreen. However, I want to question whether we really see the world (=you) in a true sense. In order to know and accept each other, I would like to show the first step “noticing the boundary” through my artwork. When you notice it, it would remind you of the true beauty of the ability granted to human, such as power of imagination to try seeing beyond the boundary. I will continue to pursue the boundary, so that people can greet the world and the calm, kind future, which is embraced in whatever form it comes.

10/10/2018

Stay beyond (the boundary)

The boundary line that lies between us is like the skin that tells us we can never be completely identical. I believe it is like the horizon. Even if we thought we reached out and touched it with our hand we could not go the other side of the line. But that’s alright. That’s because knowing should not be such an easy thing.

To find the point of contact between herself and the world (=the other), I walk and show the boundary line, and try to let the viewers feel “in between”.　In the far off boundary line shown in white, there is a landscape seen by the artist. You would not truly know the things seen by the artist in the real meaning. However, I want you to try and follow the process of deconstructing each colour of the scenery as if tracing the artist’s thoughts. Hopefully your imagination will work as it tries to understand the true landscape seen by someone other than yourself.

When you notice the boundary line, I want to recall the true beauty of the ability granted to human, this power of imagination. So that people can greet the world and the calm, kind future, which is embraced in whatever form it comes.

09/05/2017

A white surface becomes the boundary which separates the viewer from the other side of the painting. In order to pursue where one meets the other – or the world, I have been walking on that boundary and making it my subject matter. Physical input, such as walking around the place where there seems to be a boundary and touching the earth, are important aspects of my artwork. This is because it seems necessary to carefully touch each one by one to actually “know the world”, or perceive the difference between one and the other. In the things produced during this process, I believe there should be real action, traces and tracks of the artist, and this is what I create in my artwork as an artist. Furthermore, my objective is to provide the viewer with a chance to think about knowing others, and perceiving the world.

I think it is not so easy to truly know others, and we need imagination to understand that we are all different. In my recent works, people may feel that they cannot find any detailed explanations in the paintings, mostly covered with white, with the exception of a subtle hint of colour and texture, emerging from underneath or at the edges of the canvas. The white surface represents the abandonment of images and emotions of the artist and my intention is to make the viewer perceive the physical aspects of paint and canvas. The main concept is to allow the viewer to look beyond the white surface, in other words, to look closer at what is in between the canvas as an object and the image an artist would normally paint. I would like the viewer to pay attention to where the artist’s intention and evidence are hidden.

In recent society, our senses seem to have been become dulled; however, I believe that the silence in the pared-down painting leaves the viewer to hone their thinking and imagination in confronting this vagueness. An aesthetic may result from this, leading us to try to know others and the world, and as a result, I feel we will find a power in our pursuit to gently heal the world.

03/03/2015

The white surface is supposed to be the boundary which separates the viewer and the other side of the surface plane. It could act like separative surface which distinguishes itself between one and the outside world, the inner and outer side of ourselves. What they would see beyond it should be an accumulation of experiences, common knowledge and understanding, and the imagination acting on it. What the artist actually wants to communicate may not always be conveyed to the viewer. However, my art work allows each viewer to see it differently. Thus we need to understand the differences of people’s individual thoughts.

We cannot help but be aware of individual differences which can act as a barrier when we try to understand others and the world. Because when we meet people and have individual experiences, we all might bring to this encounter our own biases, and one cannot take “common sense” for granted, because this could depend on one’s individual environment and experiences. When we realise this, however, I believe, as a result, it would serve as a trigger to truly know others and the way they perceive things, to understand the world and to lead us know more about ourselves as well. We enjoy enormous amounts of internet information through a touch screen these days. It sometimes makes me feel frightened of the attitude that we easily think as if we know the entire world. People seem to perceive this flood of information, which can be true or false, as a stimulus without thinking, but is it such a really easy thing to “know”?

In my recent works, people may feel that they cannot find any detailed explanations in a painting, mostly covered with white, with the exception of a subtle hint of colour and texture, which emerges from the opening, underneath or edges of the canvas. The white surface represents that images and emotions of the artist are abandoned, because I have an intention to make the viewer perceive the physical aspect of paint and canvas. The subject matter is to allow the viewer to look closer at what’s in between the canvas as an object and the image the artist would like to communicate. Boundaries could exist there, and I would like the viewer to pay attention to it where the artist’s evidence is hidden. And, as a result, I would like the viewer to hone their thinking and imagination confronting this vagueness.

Our senses would have been dulled these days, however, I believe silence in the painting leaves the viewer to pursue the meaning of the painting, their own aesthetic sense, and the world of themselves. And I feel we will find a power to gently heal the world when we pursue it.

25/05/2014

The white surface is supposed to be the boundary which separates the viewer and the other side of the plane. It could be just like a surface of separation which distinguishes between oneself and the outside world. What they would see beyond it could be the cosmos or just layers of paint, and this should be a truth of their own. I think what you see is something constructed by piles of experiences and the imagination acting on it.

We enjoy enormous amounts of internet information through a touch screen these days. It sometimes makes me feel frightened of the attitude that we easily think as if we know the entire world. People seem to perceive this flood of information, which can be true or false, as a stimulus without thinking, but is the world really beyond the screen?

A subtle hint of colour and texture, which emerges from the opening, underneath or edges of the canvas, could make the viewer trace the history of the process of painting. Through this I expect the viewer to select the information from the painting, their own experience or memory, to hone their imagination confronting the vagueness. Our senses would have been dulled, however, I believe silence in the painting leaves the viewer to pursue the meaning of the painting, their own aesthetic sense, and the world of themselves.

The thing you see beyond it should be created by yourselves, so the painting could be only a mirror of yourselves. However, I would like to allow imagination to make people realise others and the world. The boundary line, which seems to lie around there, will never become clear, nevertheless, I believe we will find a power to gently heal the world when we pursue it.

14/01/2014

This white surface is supposed to be the boundary which separates you and the other side of the plane. What you would see beyond it could be the cosmos or just layers of paint, and this should be a truth of your own. I think what you see is something constructed by piles of experiences and the imagination acting on it.

We enjoy enormous amounts of internet information through a touch screen these days. It sometimes makes me feel frightened of the attitude that we easily think as if we know the entire world. Everyone may construct his or her own biased ‘truth’ by accepting this huge amount of information, which can be true or false. It’s true that we have become better at realising what happens in the world, however, is the world really beyond the screen? When we accumulate our experience by walking on our feet, touching with our hands and feeling with our skin, we would be able to answer that question.

For this exhibition, the key to the works is in a single question posed by a little girl at my feet. “What’s the colour of a firefly?” There should not be an exact answer for it, but rather it should be easy to relate for those who have the same experience of “watching fireflies”. I believe that a room for imagination occurs in such a silent pared down painting. I expect my works could have a function to evoke people’s memory. It is not important for you to know what I see, but I wish you could remember your answer within yourself, while confronting the paintings.

White, which covered the plane represents lights which reflect all the colours. If I return everything to you, what comes up, and starts making your new truth? I hope the truth consisted of facts and the imagination could have a power to gently heal the world.

11/09/2013

I am drawn to go to see the horizon, to see myself beyond it dispassionately, listening to the unconsciousness, and make it revealed. As a result, I can make myself aware of who I am and how I exist in this world. The line seems to be the boundary between each of us and the outside world. Both the world and oneself could be defined by capturing the line, nevertheless, it is like the horizon which disappears when we reached it.

My paintings focus on drawing the viewer’s eyes into them through the use of watery or translucent acrylic colour. A subtle hint, which emerges from underneath or edges of the canvas, could make the viewer trace the history of the process of painting. Through this I would expect the viewer to look for their own aesthetics in the imperfection of the paintings, illuminating their imagination. In these days, there is a flood of information and people seem to be able to perceive it as a stimulus without thinking. Our senses would have been dulled, however, I believe my art work could have a function to act on individual aesthetic sense.

We are here living our lives, always estimating the ‘distance’ between ourselves and the world, and there should be an interrelation for better or worse. The boundary line could be liminal, or just like the skin which distinguishes between inside and outside of body. It won’t be able to become clear, but it is obvious that we walk on the line consciously and unconsciously.

14/09/2012

I am drawn to go to see the horizon many times over, and often paint it in my paintings. Waves roar and clouds run fast now and then, however, it becomes silent when each of these comes close to each other. I think I see myself beyond the line dispassionately, listening to the unconsciousness, and make it revealed. As a result, I can make myself aware of who I am and how I exist in this world.

The line seems to be the boundary between each of us and the outside world. Both the world and oneself could be defined by capturing the line, nevertheless, it is like the horizon which disappears when we reached it. Who can perceive the world precisely?

By coming into the small closed space, I would expect the viewer to get involved in the atmosphere and confront himself or herself. The subtle interaction of the bleeding acrylic colours, which can be seen in the painting, represents the passage of time on the surface. To follow it silently, time for the viewer to look at the boundary line would occur. It could help them to look at the personal side to know what is going on around them in their own world.

We are here living our lives, always estimating the ‘distance’ between ourselves and the world, and there should be an interrelation for better or worse. The boundary line could be liminal, or just like the skin which distinguishes between inside and outside of body. It won’t be able to become clear, but it is obvious that we walk on the line consciously and unconsciously.

15/05/2012