IDENTITY Insight: Unfolding the Visual Narrative, curated by Eleana Del Rio
This show features the work of ten Koplin Del Rio artists and completes the series of three IDENTITY exhibitions introducing the gallery’s artists to a Seattle audience. Curator Eleana Del Rio grouped these artists together because they share a common interest in pictorial narrative. They all invite the viewer to interact with the imagery and engage with the work in a manner that allows two narratives—both the artist’s and the viewer’s—to play out over time.
Featuring David Bailin, Eric Beltz, Shay Bredimus, Wes Christensen(1949-2015), Josh Dorman, Tim Lowly, Michelle Muldrow, Len Paschoal, Fred Stonehouse, and Yuriko Yamaguchi
November 3 – December 23, 2016
Opening Reception: First Thursday, November 3, 6 – 8pm
Artist Interview #56: Yuriko Yamaguchi
Yuriko Yamaguchi photograph by Carol Harrison
1. What is your ideal working environment? – space, music, lighting, etc.
Good space and good lighting is the most important environment for my work.
2. Is there a specific motivator in getting you into the studio?
Usually I start my day with a 45 minutes walk in the back yard park, Wolf Trap National Park. After having breakfast, I start working in my studio. This is my daily routine.
3. What is your preferred medium? Do you work on one project at a time or several?
I use stainless steel wire, resin, gampi paper pulp, synthetic fabric, cotton cord, etc.
Most of the time I work on one project; however, occasionally two pieces.
4. Is there anything you would like to share as personal interests outside of the studio?
While walking in the morning I observe the natural world- growing mushrooms, changing color on leaves, living trees and dead trees, stream, pond, rock, weed and wild flowers, light and shadow etc.
5. In what way is your work a reflection of “tradition by way of method”?
I am interested in discovering in general. I am interested in discovering my own way to make things instead of the traditional way of making things.
6. With the examples of your work represented in IDENTITY Insight: Unfolding the Visual Narrative, are there any anecdotal notes that may give insight into your artist vision to a new viewer?
I focused the interconnectedness between blood vein and cabbage vein when I was working on “Coming #2”. I striped off a piece of leaf from a cabbage only to retain the part of vein for some. I sometimes used it the way it was. After making a rubber mold of pieces of cabbage leaf, I hand cast in pigmented resin. In order to emphasize the vein texture, I discovered the effectiveness of use of red LED light behind resin pieces. Instead of having an image of certain things in my head, I connect pieces of hand cast resin pieces until I feel right. The work came to me.
PROGRAPHICA: In the Mind of the Artist 