yoko obata

I am a Japanese artist and have been based in the Britain since 1996. I moved to London in 2003. My work has been included in numerous group exhibitions and three one-person shows in past six years. Amongst these were Bright Lights (with three other Japanese artists based in Britain) at Graves Art Gallery in Sheffield in 2003, solo shows at BAR Gallery in London 2004 and at North Hertfordshire College in 2005. Since then I have shown with Foster Art in London and in a small solo show in Japan at my old University.

I work predominantly oil on canvas. The works are concerned with colours and shapes, and in more recent works, tone. My works are completed by the repetition of stencilling process in a positive and negative way (paint around and paint inside). The final layers of my works are produced by applying areas of resin which create a shadow-like glossy effect over the surface. The reflections and refractions caused by the application of the gel like substance results in the paintings changing their appearance with differing lighting conditions.

I originally studied Japanese traditional painting, and these studies still influence my practice. The simplified shapes I use are mostly taken from the everyday objects of my immediate environment; the everyday object being a very common choice of subject matter within Japanese Traditional Paintings. For example, my favourite toy in my childhood, the kaleidoscope, became the focus for a very long series of works I produced lasting from approximately 2000 until around 2004. The influence of the kaleidoscope has become less apparent over the past couple of years as new patterns, structures and compositions have emerged.

My work is also informed by an examination of the Japanese culture and society in which I was immersed until the age of 24. The impact of living in British society contrasts highly with the conservative traditions I grew up and was educated in. The combining of traditional and contemporary ideas remains an important concern of my work as I strive to produce images that have substance, impact and freshness.

Solo Shows

Feb 2005         Michael Brown Gallery, Hertfordshire
May 2004         BAR Gallery, London
Jan 2003         'IRO IRO', The Gallery, Stratford upon Avon

Selected Group Exhibitions/Events

2006               'Dark River', ING Bank, London
2005               'Summer show', Foster Art, London
2003               'Bright Lights', Graves Art Gallery, Sheffield
2002               'Peterborough Prize', Peterborough Museum and Art Gallery
2001               'Eyepoppers', Gloucester Open Exhibition, Gloucester
2000               'Spatial Limit', Chorlton Mill, Manchester
1999                Two Person Show, Birmingham University
1999                The Custard Factory, Birmingham
1996                'Group of TSho', Contemporay Art Centre, Osaka, Japan
1995                'Five Person Show', A-UN Gallery, Osaka, Japan

Awards

2001                 Creative Ambition Award, West Midlands Arts
1996-1997         Rotary Ambassadorial Scholarship, Rotary Foundation

Critical Reviews, Press coverage and Catalogues

March 2003        'Bright Lights' preview, Guardian, The Guide, pp34
March 2003        'Bright Lights', What's On, Yorkshire Television
March 2003        'Bright Lights' preview, Art Preview, pp61
Feb 2003           'Bright Lights', What's On, Yorkshire Television
Feb 2003           'Bright Lights', preview by Brendan Fletcher, Artist Newsletter, February issue, pp14
Jan 2003            'Bright Lights',
Jan 2001            'IRO IRO', Catalogue
Jan 2001            'IRO IRO', review by David Maddox, Stratford-upon-Avon Herald, PP8
Jan 2001            'IRO IRO', review, The Stratford Standard, pp23
Jan 2001            'IRO IRO', review by Simon Webb, Metro Life