From November 27 to December 25, 2021

Travelling takes us to places, people, languages and cultures unknown to us. Travelling enriches our minds and spirits. But discovering the world can take place thousands of kilometers away or just a few meters from home. The important thing is not where we are, but to be ready to observe the world with a heart open to new discoveries and a curious mind. This group exhibition takes us on an exploration of the richness of Japanese culture through the work of artists Kazumi Nagano, Mineri Matsuura, Nahoko Fujimoto, Mariko Sumioka and Yoko Takirai | Pietro Pellitteri.
Well-established artists with works present in the world’s most important contemporary jewellery collections, including the Victoria & Albert Museum in London, the Alice and Louis Koch Rings Collection in Switzerland and the Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum in New York. They come to Asolo bringing all the delicacy and purity of their works, made in various materials: from the most precious, platinum, through gold and silver, to paper.
Kazumi Nagano‘s work immediately conveys a feeling of calm and beauty, which for her are deeply linked to Japanese culture. Using the traditional technique of origami, the artist folds the fabrics she creates into threads of gold, platinum, nylon, paper or horse hair, creating sinuous and soothing shapes that convey an immediate feeling of peace and well-being to the observer. Nahoko Fujimoto uses silver combined with a special Japanese paper to create astounding shapes that transform from 2D to 3D, revealing surprising forms and colours in tribute to the “Tanabata Matsuri”, or Star Festival, a traditional event that takes place every year. Mineri Matsuura‘s work is particularly influenced by Zen Buddhism. Her metalworking process is simple, but for the artist the very process of transforming a single sheet of metal into mysterious three-dimensional organic forms is a form of meditation. Each creation gives her a new perspective and she is amazed to see the variety of shapes that are created. Thus she is surprised by a zen-like feeling of awakening (Nirvana) into a new existence that flows from a simple and thoughtful process to the finished piece. Mariko Sumioka creates sculptural jewellery that evokes both East and West, fascinated by architectural and structural elements, which she brings to her work. Her abstract aesthetic is unique and combines precious metals with bamboo, enamel and antique kimonos. This collage approach is an essential part of her creative process, as the stories told within these precious miniature compositions are unfinished – it is up to the wearer to complete them, to invent the rest. Takirai Design (Yoko Takirai and Pietro Pellitteri) creates innovative jewellery, playing with geometric spaces and simple shapes that are only fully revealed when worn. Their work is characterized by an incredible architectural strength and three-dimensionality, combined with lines and voids that create an unexpected combination of lightness, elegance and purity.
Exploring the works on display, it is therefore possible to understand how each of these artists is unique in their artistic expression, but all share a deep connection with the deep essence of Japanese thought and tradition.

 

Thereza Pedrosa