Nami Shibata Solo exhibition “Shadows Also Fade Away”

Nami Shibata has long explored the act of “depicting the figure,” drawing inspiration from characters who appear in the worlds of theater, film, and other forms of fiction. Her practice is both an endeavor for new expressions through the shaping of the human form, and an inquiry in the background that shapes these imagined figures.
In recent years, she has turned her attention to the "relationship between the body and its adornment" as seen in garments from across eras and cultures, ranging from classical Japanese performing arts such as Noh and Kabuki, to the costumes of contemporary pop idols. Focusing on the “lines” that construct these forms, she contemplates how elements such as time, society, and other environmental forces shapes the "human image," while pursuing a mode of figure-making that is expressed through her own body.
For Shibata, who has continued to portray the shadows of people—each encountered by chance, and each inevitably fading into the past—what does it mean to “depict someone” in the present age?
We invite you to experience the distinctive qualities of her work, from the movements of brushstrokes that seem to carry the artist’s own breath, to the rich interplay of color. We look forward to welcoming you to the gallery.
Kazunobu Abe, Mizoe Art Gallery

Nami SHIBATA/ Born in Fukuoka, Japan, in 1985. Graduated Fukuoka Prefectural Dazaifu High School. Dropped out of Onomichi University, Graduated School of Fine Arts. Selected for TOKYO WONDER WALL 2009 (as well as 2010). 2010 Tokyo Wonder Site Emerging "ROOFS". Selected for Shell Art Award 2013. Participated in solo and group exhibitions in Tokyo, Fukuoka, Hiroshima, Kagawa, and more. Exhibited at Art Fair Tokyo in 2014 and 2015.