Aomi Kikuchi

About

Japanese, b. 1960   —   Artfare artist Aomi Kikuchi is a textile artist based in Kyoto, Japan. She holds a BFA from Kyoto University of Art & Design (Japan) and an MFA from Pratt Institute (USA). Aomi has exhibited her work throughout the world including at We Contemporary 2021 (Vienna), The First Suzhou Craft Biennale 2021(China), Art Laguna 2021(Italy) and will exhibit at Woman’s Essence Show Paris in April 2022. Her work is based on Japanese aesthetic principles and the teachings of the Buddha. “Wabi-sabi”, a well known philosophy that beauty is found in imperfections and “Mono-no-aware”, the feeling of sympathy for that which changes or perishes such as the seasons and all living things. The Buddha states that life is impermanent, insubstantial and suffering. People feel suffering when they seek something everlasting yet while existence is not eternal, the activities of matter and life are conceptually infinite. Over 30 years, Aomi has dedicated extensive and immersive practice to various textile materials and techniques including Yuzen Kimono Dyeing, and Japanese Embroidery. Aomi takes inspiration from the fragility and fleetingness found in natural cycles and in textiles such as extremely thin fibers, goose down, and cotton flower. She explores impermanence and infinity through the use of biology and nature with textiles and waste.