2021.12.26 – 2022. 1.19
Mayuka Yamamoto

Mayuka Yamamoto who draws somewhat forlorn and lonely image on her paintings. In the early of her art, she focuses on fairytale and dreamlike atmosphere with vague color and unclear shape rather than clear one.

A child in paintings has a mark on a his/her face and body such as animal mask, horns and tattoo. It looks like means of protecting and hiding himself/herself from outside danger. The intense feeling of her work is attributed to the strong energy from a child in spite of vague color and hiding image of a child.

nothing is sacred of profane (little),45.5 x 27.3cm, oil on canvas,2021

Over time, a child come out of world, taking off mask. Watery eyes are filled up with light, and blurry scenery becomes vivid with colors. A child hiding with mask, who was afraid of coming outside, appears with a new mask to reveal himself/herself not to hide. The child who used to feel awkward and shy stand upright now.

Why do people feel sympathy from Mayuka Yamamotos’s paintings, even a child with mask can be cliche? Maybe it’s because we discover our past when we were afraid of facing a world by facing a child putting on animal mask.
In Mayuka Yamamoto’s paintings, the child leads us to encounter feelings and memories of our old days, which couldn’t help but be hidden when we grow up. Inspiring all kinds of emotions in the present and the past after enjoying her fairtytale image with a child. This is the power of Mayuka Yamamoto’s paintings.

GALLERY WOO
1F, 110, 74 Daebyeon-ro, Gijang-eup, Gijang-gun, 46079, Busan, Korea
+82 51 742 6596

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