Naomi Ota
In The Stillness - by Naomi Ota

3 Nov - 3 Dec, Tue - Sat: 11am - 5.30pm

Craft Victoria (Gallery 1&2), 31 Flinders Lane Melbourne,

ph: 9650 7775 / Email: gallery@craftvic.asn.au

Internationally exhibited fibre artist Naomi Ota takes us on a spacial journey as rich as the history of ikat weaving itself. Ota explores fibre/textile sculpture that demonstrates an interpretation of particular issues of 'space' derived from her on-going research into the formation of 'white ikat'. It is traditionally practiced on the island in Yaeyama archipelagos, the southernmost region of Ryukyu (former name of Okinawa), Japan. Her work asks us to imagine expanses of time and space where fibre based textures engage in delicate play with references to bleached pathways of coral bones and sacred groves. We reminded of the unfolding rhythms of everyday life together with beauty and power of nature. Essential here is the tension between the sureness and structure of pieces themselves and the sublime space and sense of stillness they evoke.

The installation will be constructed with a number of fibre sculptures and some two-dimensional works. It will sensitively focus on the nature of space itself along with objects to be arranged.

Ota's works have been exhibited in various national and international exhibitions. She recently participated in the 5th Triennial International Textile Exhibition in Tournai, one of the major art events in Belgium for which she received International program grant form Arts Victoria. Ota is currently a PhD candidate at RMIT. Her research is to investigate the aesthetics of Yaeyama ikat in its relationship with environmental structure.