Leiko Ikemura "new works"

Galerie Karsten Greve, Cologne

19. 04. 2007 - 26. 05. 2007


The Karsten Greve Gallery in Cologne is pleased to present a selection of Leiko Ikemura's recent works shortly after the exhibitions in the Garden Museum in Tokyo (2006) and in the Bonner Kunstverein (2006). A selection of drawings, paintings, and sculpture from the last three years will be on view giving an insight into her comprehensive art.
Since the 1990s, the horizon is the central motif in Leiko Ikemura's drawings and paintings. It represents the moment of transition as spatial and metaphysical principle. In this regard the artist points out the situation of the threshold as cultural and as aesthetic state concerning the composition. The horizontal line symbolises hold, scheme of order, and frame of reference on the one hand and distance, endlessness, and transcendence on the other hand. The „empty space“ becomes visible through the horizontal. It is a place of pacifying emptiness, of deep meditation.

In another series of new works Leiko Ikemura examines the head as central motif. The recent floating heads show female heads in page view which cannot be easily interpreted. The girl scheme is not as strict as before so that the works are very associative. In this regard they resemble the sculptures with their merging forms of different origin.


The drawings with tree motifs are extremely associative as well. They show giants without leaves struggling against the stormy wind. By doing this, they seem to adopt human traits. Roots seem to turn into leg-like shapes and the thick branches of two trees entangle as if embracing each other. Here, the fusion between human being and nature is not visualised explicitly. The impression spontaneously comes to our minds and turns into a sort of intellectual game.


For further information follow the link here: Galerie Karsten Greve Cologne

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