Kunsthal, Rotterdam
June 25 – August 20, 2011
This summer, the Kunsthal Rotterdam presents the exhibition “Colours in My Hand” by Japanese artist Ayako Rokkaku (b. 1982). For a limited time, Rokkaku will move her studio to the daylight hall of the Kunsthal. Until July 17, she will be working daily on a “work in progress” artwork. Especially for the Kunsthal, Rokkaku is creating large wall paintings, “live paintings,” by applying acrylic paint directly onto the canvas with her bare hands. She showcases her own world of bright colors and recurring symbols such as flowers, animals, boats, and houses. A recurring motif in her work is girls with large eyes and long arms, often depicted in close-up. Everyone at the Kunsthal is welcome to paint themselves.
Ayako Rokkaku has a distinctive way of working. She works very directly, using no brushes but instead dipping her hands in paint and applying it to cardboard or canvas. Without any pencil lines, plan, or composition in her mind, she begins to paint.
Rokkaku says, “The painting is constantly changing, and everyone can experience that process. It’s nice that people can share that moment of creation with me.” Rokkaku’s works are cheerful, but appearances can be deceiving. Beneath the sweet fantasy lie a multitude of emotions, drives, fears, insecurities, and convictions that Rokkaku conveys on the canvas. Fantasy and fable play a significant role, yet the representations remain believable and recognizable. Sometimes, the high cuteness factor shifts, and the girls in her work take on a malicious look.
The exhibition will be on view from June 25 – August 20, 2011
