Emiko Aida
Degree: MA Printmaking
University: Royal College of Art
Graduation Year: 1989
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Aida is a compassionate, tender and very vigilant observer of human beings and the often alien surroundings that are of their own making. Whether depicting Japanese ceremonies in pastoral settings, or attending to a spirit of mysticism still faintly breathing in our urban settings, Aida always conjures up immersive atmospheres; sympathetic to how humans experience them. Whether depicting the grey of the city, sun-dappled autumn or a velvety drapery of darkness, Aida makes the world briefly intimate again, as suddenly as a cherry blossom tree.
Emiko Aida was awarded the The Ward Thomas Award at the National Open Art Competition for her piece ‘Requiem’.
Artist Statement
Growing up in Tokyo over 20 years and living in London for a similar length of time gave me a curiosity about people in large cities and myself amongst them. What is the relationship between traditional and modern culture? Where do I belong? Where am I going? These kinds of endless questions evoke in me feelings of how fragile and lonely humankind is. It seems like all lives and their experiences cross between reality and illusion. My work of asks questions in the air without sound and I try to hear the answers in return to make sure where I am.
Recent View: Several years ago I revisited Kyoto, an ancient city in Japan. I am originally from Japan, but it was the first trip to Kyoto since my childhood. As an artist and Buddhist I was searching for the key ingredient of Japanese art. When I popped into Higashi Honganji, one of the main temples of Jyodo shin Buddhism, I came across monks sitting on a well-polished black floor in a dark room. The surroundings were golden walls and features. The monks appeared to be floating in meditation. I felt ‘This is it!’ To reach the other world / one step higher towards abstraction, and I sensed, the black and gold in the darkness indicated my direction. Since then I have been trying to depict something very subtle and invisible using these colors.
Solo Exhibitions
(2019) Solo show, For Art Sake, London, UK
(2002) Solo show, Gallery West, Tokyo, Japan
Group Exhibitions
(2023) Art in Bloom, Liberation Art Gallery, Brighton, UK
(2023) Walking with Giants, Boomer Gallery, London, UK
(2023) Chelsea Physic Garden 350 Years in Paint & Prints, Bankside Gallery, London, UK
(2023) London Original Print Fair, Bankside Gallery, Somerset House, London, UK
(2022) In Print: Kaleidoscopic, Watts Gallery, Surry, UK
(2022) From Within, Liberation Art Gallery, Brighton, UK
(2022) London Art Biennale, Chelsea Old Town, London
(2019) Contemporary art fair, Clio Art Fair, New York, USA
(2019) London Original Print Fair, Royal Academy of Arts, London, UK
(2019) Artists from Japan, Viridian Artists Gallery, New York, USA
(2019) Art on Paper, Pier 36, New York, USA
(2019) Venice Biennale, Palazzo Mora, Biennale, Italy
(2019) Contemporary Printmakers, Coombe gallery, Devon, UK
(2019) Contemporary Printmakers, Coombe gallery, Devon, UK, Devon, UK
(2019) Art Expo (on screen), Zurich HB Main Station, Zurich, Switzerland
(2018) Contemporary art fair, Clio Art Fair, New York, USA
(2018) London Original Print Fair, UK, Royal Academy of Arts, London, UK
(2018) Art Box Project (on screen), The Stricoff Gallery, New York, USA
(2017) Contemporary Art Fair, Sydney Art Fair, Sydney, Australia
(2016) Group show, Bluecoat display Centre, Liverpool, UK
(2015) Printmakers show, Burton Art Gallery, Devon, UK
(2015) Printmaking show, St. Barbes Museum, Lymington, UK
(2015) Prints show, The Rheged Gallery, Cambria, UK
(2013) Edinburgh Festival,, Dovecot Gallery, Edinburgh, UK
Competitions, Prizes & Awards
(2010) The Qijiang International Print Exhibition, Guangdong Museum of Art, China
(2014) Ward Thomas prize, National Open Art Competition, UK
(2014) Vivian Leigh Bequest Prize, Ashmolean Museum, Oxford, UK
(2014) Purchase prize, 16th SPACE International Print Biennial, Seoul, Korea
(2016) International Print Triennial, Forum, Sweden
(2018) Columbia Threadneedle Prize Exhibition, London, UK
(2019) Artist of the year, Finalist Award, Circle Foundation of the Arts, France
(2023) ‘International Prize PEGASUS for the ARTS', Scola Grande of San Teodoro, Venice, Italy