Kikue Miyatake "For the Best Future"

The Nippon Gallery

poster for Kikue Miyatake "For the Best Future"

This event has ended.

In 1990, following the fall of the Berlin Wall, 120 artists from all over the world participated in a commemoration project by painting on a remaining 0.8 mile-long portion of the Wall, now called “East Side Gallery.” Miyatake was the only Japanese artist to participate in this project. Active mainly in the U.S. at that time, she created an abstract painting entitled “Paradise Out of the Darkness” on a 11.5 feet high X 47.2 feet wide part of the wall. In the painting, Miyatake expressed the dark ages of the former East Germany in black, and the hope for the reunification of Germany in blue. The Wall sits along the Spree River, which once formed a boundary between East and West Berlin. During the Cold War, anyone who jumped into the river and tried to swim to West Berlin was shot dead by the border guards. Miyatake recalled her painting the Wall in remembrance of the victims. At the time, she opened her eyes to the power of the arts, realizing that a painting can have an influential message and raise sympathy. Her engagement with this important historical event, the reunification of Germany, prompted her ever since to aim to express the “light” of peace and hope for mankind in her paintings.

After experiencing the Great East Japan Earthquake on March 11 of last year, she feels even stronger that she wants to bring hope to people through her paintings. This exhibition showcases 25 original works revolving around three new works entitled “Time," “Light,” and “Life.” Even though the Cold War has finished, there is no end to continuing disputes throughout the world. Miyatake wishes to convey a strong message of peace in this exhibition.

[Image: Kikue Miyatake “Hope & Calm”]

Media

Schedule

from October 11, 2012 to October 17, 2012

Artist(s)

Kikue Miyatake

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