In this series we chat to NewBlood artists, finding out more about their practice, what makes them tick, and what we’re looking forward to seeing from them in the future.
This week’s artist is Emiko Aida. Emiko is a NewBlood Art Master, having shown with us for over a decade as her career’s progressed, taking her over the world showing in exhibitions and biennales; her works are currently held in private, public, and corporate collections. Emiko works in a diverse range of ways, etching and printing inventively, returning again and again to the sacred in nature and the continuity between modernity and tradition. Read on to find out more about Emiko’s thoughts on Japanese and British culture, her upcoming work on show in China, Germany, and France, and the intention that fuels her work.
On your website, heading your section of 2020 work, you have the intriguing quote “numinosity entails luminosity”. What role has research into world religions, and your own Buddhism, played in your work?
I came across these Jungian words 8 years ago. It’s still in my heart and compels me to create my work. I need to get beyond my little ego and connect to intrinsic nature, consciousness, unified field, and whatever called for it. Art is my tool to do so. I am not sure I can reach there. As Buddhism teaches us process is more important than result, I just go ahead in the path. Although for some people this may sound like old-fashioned art, we are currently facing a difficult time and anticipating large changes, which are already happening, so we need symbolical ‘Light’ and ‘Lantern’. I simply create this kind of art.
Your work manifests a range of materials, processes, and techniques whilst maintaining certain themes. How is this variety important to you?
Because I can’t suppress my curiosity and like to challenge myself with something new, hoping that then the dots will begin to connect. I know curators prefer to choose artists who show works in a category. I think human nature is much more complicated than repeating one thing. I am trying to show my honesty. This current life is only once.
You moved from Tokyo, where you grew up, to London, where you have been based for your professional life, moving between cultures and languages. Does this animate your work?
My life in London is slightly longer than in Tokyo now. I have been losing some sense of conformed Japanese custom and getting a clearer point of view on essential Japanese qualities. I have intentionally created a series of works depicting Japanese culture to try to differentiate my work from other cultures. Consequently, I confirm that I am Japanese, but nothing else. In the very long history of Japan there is evidence that worldwide cultures have ended up in the land. Therefore, by deep insight into Japan and its culture, it can be possible to find answers to what global humanity and spirituality are. Hopefully I can create my work through this insight, and this is better to be done from outside of Japan.
You have also moved between landscapes; nature and its cycles play a role in your various cycles of work. Have you noticed similarities or differences in Japanese and British relationships to/conceptions of nature?
It’s been openly mentioned that there are differences in views towards nature between western cultures and Japan. In their history western cultures have thought that nature should be conquered, therefore the UK lost a huge amount of forests. Another side of the British found some ideas in nature and depicted and admired it in literature and the visual arts. Japan found spirituality in nature: Shinto. There are many Gods in nature which are preserved in worship. Love for nature has never left Japanese life, to enjoy each of the four seasons. Most of the arts in Japan are based on nature as well. Despite many natural disasters, the degree of admiration for nature is much higher than in the UK. Because of living in London now, my love for nature is within a small area. Even so, the urban nature gives me a lot of pleasure through its plants, insects, birds and animals at private and public gardens, pavements, etc., which are a source of my creation.
What unique elements of Japanese art do you bring to contemporary viewers?
My work is a gate, a prayer’s gate, which is not necessarily confined within Buddhism or Shinto. Hopefully it is from intrinsic nature, or consciousness. The world is changing now. I would like to contribute something invisible in the coming new world.
For some of your ink etchings on paper, including your work ‘Requiem’ which won the Ward Thomas Award at the National Open Art Competition, you work with an oval shaped image. Why did you choose to work with this shape (or with a circle, as you do elsewhere) for this phase of work?
‘Requiem’ is a memoir of my late mother. For keeping memory of people, one uses their portraits in oval shapes. The oval shape means rebirth and immortality. I picked it out from my memory in Japan. There was a flower watercolour in a circle frame in my parent’s room in Japan. I grew up looking at it. This type of circle picture is a traditional presentation of art in Japan. Coincidentally, the sacred geometry of ‘Flower of Life’ is also in a circle shape, which is a special symbol representing the cycle of life and space-time. I love these hidden meanings.
Tell us a bit about your studio.
I have been in my current studio for 20 years. It was converted from a leaky storage space into 12 studios. Mine is one of them. I set up a water pipe and sink to make prints. Its narrow and long rectangle shape is filled with many art materials including an etching press. The higher roof helps give a less stuffy feeling but it’s very cold in winter. Hopefully I can have more storage space for my paintings to be produced in the near future.
What are you curious about at the moment?
I am currently reading an interesting book about Panpsychism. Apart from that, I am thinking of and preparing for larger sizes of work.
You’re a NewBlood Art Master, having graduated through our space as your career has developed. During this time, you’ve shown widely throughout the world, as part of biennales, as well public, private, and corporate collections. What does next year bring for you?
Currently my works are part of an online auction in Germany. This may be happening next year too. I have signed a contract with a gallery in China recently and started preparation for sending my paintings to them soon. An art magazine in France has included my work in the next issue and several works are on their online page. I hope to expand my work more internationally but will avoid traveling around other countries until it’s safe from Covid 19. Until then I have to omit some opportunities, unfortunately.
