Bird Cages and the Gilded Boat is a new installation of Keiko Miyamori’s (LTA ’08, WOO ’03) recent sculptures and works on paper. Bird Cages Without Roofs consists of altered bird cage sculptures with open tops, implying a basic desire to escape the struggles and conflicts that keep people confined in metaphoric “cages;” addressing the dichotomy of captivity and freedom. The Bird Cages are juxtaposed with Gilded Boat, a basic canoe transformed into a dream-like vessel and embellished with classical Japanese art materials. The exhibit is on display at the ISE Cultural Foundation (555 Broadway, New York, NY) January 14 – February 26, 2011. The opening reception is Friday, January 14, 2011, 6-8pm and an artist talk with Keiko will be held on Saturday, February 26, 2011, 2-3pm.
Keiko Miyamori: Bird Cages and the Gilded Boat
an installation with soundscape by Steven Berkowitz
curated by Sean Stoops
January 14, 2011 – February 26, 2011
Artist(s): Keiko Miyamori and Steven Berkowitz
Curated by: Sean Stoops
Opening reception: Friday, January 14, 6 – 8 PM
KAMIOTO – USA x Japan sound performance: Thursday, February 3, 6 – 8 PM
w/ Keiko Miyamori, Steven Berkowitz, Hsiang-Chin Moe, and Chikara Miura. Supported by Forestry Agency
Artist Talk: Saturday, February 26, 2 – 3 PM
Bird Cages and the Gilded Boat is a new installation of Miyamori’s recent sculptures and works on paper. Bird Cages Without Roofs consists of altered bird cage sculptures with open tops, implying a basic desire to escape the struggles and conflicts that keep people confined in metaphoric “cages;” addressing the dichotomy of captivity and freedom. The Bird Cages are juxtaposed with Gilded Boat, a basic canoe transformed into a dream-like vessel and embellished with classical Japanese art materials- washi paper with charcoal frottage from tree bark on the hull and a gilded interior of gold-leaf. Unifying the sculptures are a series of Tree Rubbings with charcoal on washi paper, created from numerous trees in five continents, based on Miyamori’s travels over the past few years.
For this installation, Berkowitz presents a new sound art work created from tree bark – rubbing patterns in Keiko Miyamori’s installation- turning the visible markings into an ambient “soundscape.” Field recordings of specific bird songs from around the world are mixed into the aural environment. Keiko Miyamori’s sculptures, combined with Steve Berkowitz’s audio, allude to journeys between different stages of being and natural elements: air, earth, and water.
Additional support for this exhibition has been provided by:
The Independence Foundation (Philadelphia) and the Center for Emerging Visual Artists (Philadelphia) and Sake Discoveries, LLC.
