AZUKI FURUYA

Azuki Furuya, a mixed media artist, studied in Tokyo and New York. While adopting two-dimensional form of canvas, she breathes dynamic new life into the depicted objects as well as exposes the fragility of existence by making full use of layered structures which are made of techniques like sanding and collage. The creative process of layering itself can be equal to the act of “storytelling” by the artist.

For this exhibition, Furuya focuses on female images, especially on the representation of “nude women”. Come to think of it, there is no other genre than “nude women” which has been stimulating creative motivations of the artists as a place of acceptance. From Ancient period through the Renaissance up to modern times, “nudes” have been transformed the way of appearance reflecting upon religions, the world of myth, customs, and economic condition of each era. Now that the thought of feminism has become familiar with us and the development of social medias have made it extremely easy to spread self-images by ourselves, how can the portrait of women not to speak of nude women maintain the dignity as art and the eroticism which is linked inextricably in it? While paying homage to many modern masterpieces of nude women, Furuya challenges to unseen contours of life.

Furuya calls the residue of materials floating on the surface as “ashes” considering them as an inevitable element that completes the full cycle of “birth-death-rebirth”. And this cycle continues ad infinitum.