Mari Yamagiwa
Good artists show their vulnerabilities and share their inner most thoughts and secrets through their work. They do so not to be judged but to be accepted for who they are and in the hope that they can communicate their fears, hopes, ideas, and desires with us.
If the integrity of an artist’s work is judged by their courage and ability to tell the truth, then that is what you will find with Mari Yamagiwa. In her work not only will you discover her truth, you may find that in this truth you uncover an interesting and seductive part of yourself.
Her work rolls over you like a sudden thunder and lightning storm filled with primitive desire and beautiful imagination driven sexual imagery.
Yamagiwa talks about the other part, the hidden part, “the dirty part”, in describing her work. The truth of this statement is that we all have a little mud on our souls and it’s the dirty part that keeps life interesting. She hopes that by looking at her work, appreciating it and accepting her as she is, that will allow you to look deep within yourself and accept you as you are.
Her ability to incorporate both eastern and western influences only adds to the works’ ability to transcend geography and create a very personal and private experience.
One can only wonder at the chaos or clarity that drove this once innovative fashion designer into the art world. Suffice it to say the fashion world’s loss was our gain.
