IWASAKI ERI (B.1968)

Iwasaki Eri was born in the Hyogo Prefecture of Japan and was trained to paint Nihonga in Kyoto, where she is currently based. She finds a connection to the prescribed materials used in Nihonga, or traditional Japanese painting, and plays with them. She explores their boundaries and creates a sensational new world of art from these long treasured materials. Her fascinating history working as a courtroom sketch artist allowed her to closely observe intense emotions and the dark sides of humanity, which may account for her choice of portraying delicate yet vigorous young children and women.
In the present work, Iwasaki depicts a beautiful figure with a Parmigianino's Madonna-like long neck. She painted this work in a dreamy way that brings back the pinncale of splendid Yamato tradition of Heian Period. The circular white strokes not only dissolve the body into a non-tangible existance, but also create an obtuse triangular shape of a seated court lady in junihitoe (twelve layers).
Iwasaki’s works are in the public collection of Kyoto Prefecture, and have been exhibited extensively in Japan and other regions in Asia.