“QUESTIONS FOR THE LIVING WORLD” HIKARI SHIMODA
“I continue to create works using the theme of how we live in this world of sorrow, loneliness, and salvation. This time, by juxtaposing the themes that I’ve created so far, I would like to create an exhibition that cross-cuts and expresses people living in the present age.”
NOVEMBER 18-DECEMBER 23
This upcoming Saturday, November 18th, promises an exciting revelation at Corey Helford Gallery (CHG) in downtown Los Angeles. The gallery is set to showcase a fresh series of artworks by the renowned Japanese painter, Hikari Shimoda, titled "Questions for Living in the World," in the Main Gallery.
Shimoda first made her mark on the global art scene back in 2014 with the U.S. exhibition "Fantastic Planet, Goodbye Man" at CHG. This exhibition introduced her ongoing series, "Children of This Planet" and "Whereabouts of God," initiated in 2011. Since then, she has emerged as one of the most widely celebrated figures in the realm of New Contemporary painters emerging from Japan. Shimoda's art is a captivating blend of sparkle and sweetness, simultaneously enchanting and disarming. Her work paints a vivid picture of a world where cuteness and horror seamlessly coexist.
Regarding her ongoing "Whereabouts of God" series featured in the upcoming show (some pieces seen above, titled "God is Dead, But..."), Shimoda says: “‘God is dead’ are the words of philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche. Denial of clinging to fiction, affirmation of nothingness. Denying God and living in reality is always accompanied by anxiety. Keep asking what the truth is and keep looking…it’s a painful task that requires a huge amount of energy. My series conceptually depicts the mental image of a person seeking the truth and the challenges that brings. In some of the paintings you’ll see a scar on the neck of the young boys, which looks like light coming through and this is meant to express the idea that things become clearer over time.”