Photoskiagraphia describes the technique that I have been developing. Light is cast on the resin and acrylic artwork in order to create specular images on the wall. The polar elements of light and shadow appear and interact with one another. In this way it endeavours to draw with light and shadow. Photoskiagrphia contains four means of interacting with the light: Transmission, absorption, reflection, and refraction. The artwork manifests many visible aspects, at different levels of depth, and different orientations, making it difficult to focus on. As you move in relation to it, these visible aspects shift as does the look of the artwork. The increasing visual information is difficult to digest and yet can induce in the viewer a meditative state.
Weight of Light
Photograph by Atsushi Nakamichi
Photograph by Atsushi Nakamichi
Photograph by Atsushi Nakamichi
Spaceship - 9
2018
1100 x 1780 x 8 mm
Shinkolite, Epoxy resin, Silver leaf, Palladium leaf.
2018
1100 x 1780 x 8 mm
Shinkolite, Epoxy resin, Silver leaf, Palladium leaf.
Photograph by Atsushi Nakamichi
Spaceship - 3
2018
1100 x 1780 x 8 mm
Shinkolite, Epoxy resin, Silver leaf, Palladium leaf.
2018
1100 x 1780 x 8 mm
Shinkolite, Epoxy resin, Silver leaf, Palladium leaf.
Photograph by Atsushi Nakamichi
Spaceship - 8
2018
1100 x 1780 x 8 mm
Shinkolite, Epoxy resin, Silver leaf, Palladium leaf.
2018
1100 x 1780 x 8 mm
Shinkolite, Epoxy resin, Silver leaf, Palladium leaf.
Photograph by Atsushi Nakamichi
Portal -A
2018
1200 x 1700 x 8 mm
Shinkolite, Epoxy resin, Silver nitrate, Palladium leaf, Aluminium
2018
1200 x 1700 x 8 mm
Shinkolite, Epoxy resin, Silver nitrate, Palladium leaf, Aluminium
Photograph by Atsushi Nakamichi
40º North
2013
ø31cm
Epoxy Resin, Acrylic dome, Mirror
2013
ø31cm
Epoxy Resin, Acrylic dome, Mirror
Photograph by Taishi Hirokawa
Weight of Light - Exhibition January-March 2018, Tokyo and Yokohama
The series is about migrating to another planet as the earth is in danger of no longer being able to sustain life. I built a space station in the gallery. There are minimum of four elements required for space travel: Spaceship, Portal, Destination, and Navigation.
The Spaceship was based on the crystallised pattern of iron meteorite. The Portal is based on Titius-Bode law, the sequence corresponding to the distances of the planets’ orbit from to the Sun, the Sun being treated as arbitrary point in the centre. The Destination is the eternal light’s reflection. And the Navigation is the mind of viewer.
The shadow of the resin and the light it refracts combine in a specular image. The polar elements of light and shadow appear, interact and work together, which I see as a symbol of unconditional love and compassion. Not only does the artwork obstruct, transmit and refract the light, it reflects the light as well. Mirrored areas are made by silver and palladium. The mirror represents the Ego. When the Ego is clear, it is able to reflect the Other. When the Ego is damaged or clouded, it so no longer able to reflect the Other resulting in isolation. In the flow of mutual refections, it starts to weave endless light patterns on the glossy floor, which I see as our subconscious mind where all of us reside in peace.
Rather than literally migrating to another planet, we may metaphorically migrate through meditation to find a better way to connect to one another on a subconscious level for the better future here on earth.
The series is about migrating to another planet as the earth is in danger of no longer being able to sustain life. I built a space station in the gallery. There are minimum of four elements required for space travel: Spaceship, Portal, Destination, and Navigation.
The Spaceship was based on the crystallised pattern of iron meteorite. The Portal is based on Titius-Bode law, the sequence corresponding to the distances of the planets’ orbit from to the Sun, the Sun being treated as arbitrary point in the centre. The Destination is the eternal light’s reflection. And the Navigation is the mind of viewer.
The shadow of the resin and the light it refracts combine in a specular image. The polar elements of light and shadow appear, interact and work together, which I see as a symbol of unconditional love and compassion. Not only does the artwork obstruct, transmit and refract the light, it reflects the light as well. Mirrored areas are made by silver and palladium. The mirror represents the Ego. When the Ego is clear, it is able to reflect the Other. When the Ego is damaged or clouded, it so no longer able to reflect the Other resulting in isolation. In the flow of mutual refections, it starts to weave endless light patterns on the glossy floor, which I see as our subconscious mind where all of us reside in peace.
Rather than literally migrating to another planet, we may metaphorically migrate through meditation to find a better way to connect to one another on a subconscious level for the better future here on earth.
"You aren't shiny enough to see me, but I can see you"
One day I saw a parka with a chrome zipper shaped like a small fish. Thinking it might reflect my surroundings like a mirror, I leaned in to get a closer look, but the chrome was too dull and didn’t reflect my face. All I saw was a cloudy fish. Out of nowhere the words came to my mouth, "You aren't shiny enough to see me, but I can see you" . The fish's “ego” was too strong, it clouded over me: I couldn’t exist in the fish’s world.
Natural phenomenon and the human mind seem to share some resonant quality by which we know nature is beautiful. Something unseen by the eyes, yet like an oceanic font of life that fills this vast universe, it touches the human mind. From this intuitive insight, I have taken as my working theme the question of how to visualise this invisible realm of the universe, this something in the phenomenal universe that speaks to our heart and enables us to open doors of new sensibility through understanding, empathy and physical experience.
I have coined the word photoskiagraphia from the Greek photo (light), skia (shadow) and graphia (picture) to describe how polarities of both light and shadow coexist and interact when a transparent drawing material/support is illuminated. In this series, I have added a mirror element to the photoskiagraphia I presented in my previous exhibition Residue, making a total of three component elements: virtually invisible colourless transparent resin; mirrors reflecting material existence; and light that makes the configuration visible.
Ricca Kawai November 2017
One day I saw a parka with a chrome zipper shaped like a small fish. Thinking it might reflect my surroundings like a mirror, I leaned in to get a closer look, but the chrome was too dull and didn’t reflect my face. All I saw was a cloudy fish. Out of nowhere the words came to my mouth, "You aren't shiny enough to see me, but I can see you" . The fish's “ego” was too strong, it clouded over me: I couldn’t exist in the fish’s world.
Natural phenomenon and the human mind seem to share some resonant quality by which we know nature is beautiful. Something unseen by the eyes, yet like an oceanic font of life that fills this vast universe, it touches the human mind. From this intuitive insight, I have taken as my working theme the question of how to visualise this invisible realm of the universe, this something in the phenomenal universe that speaks to our heart and enables us to open doors of new sensibility through understanding, empathy and physical experience.
I have coined the word photoskiagraphia from the Greek photo (light), skia (shadow) and graphia (picture) to describe how polarities of both light and shadow coexist and interact when a transparent drawing material/support is illuminated. In this series, I have added a mirror element to the photoskiagraphia I presented in my previous exhibition Residue, making a total of three component elements: virtually invisible colourless transparent resin; mirrors reflecting material existence; and light that makes the configuration visible.
Ricca Kawai November 2017
Detail of artworks
Detail of artwork : Refractions on the wall
Residue - on the planet of liquid water-
Photograph by Kuba Nowak
- Self-portrait
2012
84 x 122 cm (approx) Door Installation
Epoxy resin, Polypropylene
Details of 'Self-portrait'
Moons -I and Me-
2013
990 x 1650 x 6 mm
Altglass, Epoxy resin
2013
990 x 1650 x 6 mm
Altglass, Epoxy resin
Details of 'Moons -I and Me-'
Gagarin the Cosmonaut
2013
920 x 1520 x 6 mm
Altglass, Epoxy resin
2013
920 x 1520 x 6 mm
Altglass, Epoxy resin
Details of 'Gagarin the Cosmonaut'
Dark Matter
2013
920 x 1520 x 6 mm
Altglass, Epoxy resin
2013
920 x 1520 x 6 mm
Altglass, Epoxy resin
Details of 'Dark Matter'
Where Are You
2013
710 x 1000 x 6 mm
Altglass, Epoxy resin
2013
710 x 1000 x 6 mm
Altglass, Epoxy resin
Whole view and Details of 'Where Are You'.
Tree of Life
2013
920 x 1520 x 6 mm
Alutglass, Epoxy resin
2013
920 x 1520 x 6 mm
Alutglass, Epoxy resin
Details of 'Tree of Life'
Residue -On the planet of liquid water- Exhibition November-December 2013, London
The presence of water in a liquid state is a very unique characteristic of the Earth. Oceanic water covers 71% of the planet’s surface. Liquid water is essential to all life on earth.
The intution behind “Residue” is that the existence of things or events, even those long past, leave energy traces that continue to effect the present and the future. This trace energy visits us in invisible waves. Though absent in vision, the trace energy is present in our thoughts and feelings. It comes and goes. I am expressing the invisible by visible means, by the visible residue of uid movement. By means of water, I make the invisible visible, and so express, in a limited Earth-bound way, the persist- ent energy of all things rippling through space and time.
I am working towards this intution through the exploration of formal and material polarities, Abstraction and Figuration, and Light and Dark. Figuratively rendered rain drops collectively constitute abstract patterns that form, as the rain drops merge into trails, gurative representations. Yuri Gagarin emerges from the abstract patterns of the residue left by rain on a window. Materially, Light and Dark are combined. The resin work on clear acrylic board pushes this this idea to the extreme.The im- age is the light and shadow produced by the resin and the acrylic. Here, Light and Dark are not only opposed but unite.The art work creates a light within the shadow. We see the Light within the Dark, a shift of po- larity happens, and we are in a position to intuit the Reisdue.
Ricca Kawai October 2013
The presence of water in a liquid state is a very unique characteristic of the Earth. Oceanic water covers 71% of the planet’s surface. Liquid water is essential to all life on earth.
The intution behind “Residue” is that the existence of things or events, even those long past, leave energy traces that continue to effect the present and the future. This trace energy visits us in invisible waves. Though absent in vision, the trace energy is present in our thoughts and feelings. It comes and goes. I am expressing the invisible by visible means, by the visible residue of uid movement. By means of water, I make the invisible visible, and so express, in a limited Earth-bound way, the persist- ent energy of all things rippling through space and time.
I am working towards this intution through the exploration of formal and material polarities, Abstraction and Figuration, and Light and Dark. Figuratively rendered rain drops collectively constitute abstract patterns that form, as the rain drops merge into trails, gurative representations. Yuri Gagarin emerges from the abstract patterns of the residue left by rain on a window. Materially, Light and Dark are combined. The resin work on clear acrylic board pushes this this idea to the extreme.The im- age is the light and shadow produced by the resin and the acrylic. Here, Light and Dark are not only opposed but unite.The art work creates a light within the shadow. We see the Light within the Dark, a shift of po- larity happens, and we are in a position to intuit the Reisdue.
Ricca Kawai October 2013
