Ólafsfjörður Mountain 2019 Acrylic on canvas, 145 x 145 cm
During an artist residency in Ólafsfjörður, Iceland, I was the sole artist in a remote studio. While a sense of loneliness settled in, I felt a powerful connection to the surrounding landscape. The mountain visible from my window became a quiet companion, a silent witness that seemed to watch over me and speak to me through the large pane of glass. This painting is a testament to that powerful, solitary dialogue.
White Mountains
2019 Acrylic on canvas, 89 x 145 cm
The mountain I had been observing from my window in Ólafsfjörður became a new subject when I climbed it. From the summit, the world below transformed into a vast, silver-white landscape, a view that dwarfed my previous perspective. This painting captures that moment—a shift in scale and a new conversation with the mountain from its own vantage point.
Daydream in Grunewald, Berlin
2018 Mixed media on canvas, 91 x 60 cm
During a performance with artist Anna in Berlin’s Grunewald forest, I was drawn to the decaying birch trees. I began to massage their soft, elastic wood, which felt like dried bodies. This painting is a representation of a daydream, a moment when I felt myself merging with the life and decay of the forest.
For photos of the performance click here >
Naan Painting
The “Naan Painting” series explores the replacement of traditional canvas with the objects of our everyday lives, finding a new medium in a familiar form.
Ambiguous Landscape Paintings
I began painting ambiguous landscapes over 30 years ago, drawn to the misty, cloud-like forms of an imagined nature. These early works, created in my studio in bustling Osaka, were often a blurred reflection of the city’s energy.
More recently, my experiences with the actual landscapes of the Scottish countryside have introduced a faint glimmer of light into my paintings. I’m now exploring the intersection of these two approaches—the imagined and the real—to reconsider what I am compelled to depict. This exploration also opens a dialogue with my performance work, bridging the physical and the painted world.