BIOGRAPHY
Iku R. Konishi is a Japanese artist whose work bridges abstract conceptual art and the everyday, delving into the interplay of memory, identity, and the passage of time. She incorporates unconventional materials such as rice bags and acrylic paint, drawing inspiration from personal experiences and her observations of cultural transitions.
Influenced by Zen philosophy and Western art movements that embrace recycled and non-traditional materials, Iku challenges conventional notions of value and permanence. Through her art, she uncovers hidden layers within the mundane, inviting viewers to reimagine the overlooked aspects of daily life.
Rooted in themes of embodied experience and mindful presence, Iku’s evolving artistic journey connects the familiar and the unknown, tradition and modernity, and the global and the local. Her work offers a meditative perspective that resonates across cultural and temporal boundaries.
CV
/Education
2024
Master of Arts in Cultural Sciences
The Open University of Japan
Research: “A Study of the Relations between Zen and Western Contemporary Art in the Late 20th Century: The Influence of Zen Thought or its Simultaneity.”
2013
Painting Program, Frank Mohr Institute
Graduate School of Hanze University, The Netherlands
Completed three years of study in an international Master of Fine Arts program
2008
Master of Arts in Art Education
Shimane University, Japan
2006
Painting and Sculpture Studies
The Art Students League of New York, United States
2002
Bachelor of Arts in Educational Psychology
Shimane University, Japan
/Exhibitions
Numerous solo exhibitions, including in Tokyo and Shimane, Japan (2004–2023)
Participated in various group exhibitions in Japan and internationally
/Awards
2016
Honorable Mention
Acrylic Gouache Biennale
STATEMENT
My work bridges the realms of abstract conceptual art and the everyday, drawing inspiration from Zen philosophy and its emphasis on the embodied experience of daily life. Through materials such as rice bags and acrylic paint, I explore the tension between tradition and modernity, as well as the global and the local.
Zen, introduced to the West in the mid-20th century, challenges binary thinking and invites an intuitive, embodied engagement with the world. This perspective resonates deeply with my process, where recycled and unconventional materials unveil the often-overlooked layers of shared reality.
Through my art, I investigate themes of memory, identity, and the passage of time, while simultaneously questioning conventional notions of value and permanence. Influenced by the Fluxus movement’s focus on everyday acts and Michel de Certeau’s theory of “tactics” in daily practices, I strive to create works that invite viewers to contemplate the unseen dynamics within the mundane.
Ultimately, my art seeks to transcend commodification frameworks, offering alternative ways to engage with the world—ways rooted in mindfulness and presence. By embracing Zen’s approach to the ordinary, I aim to foster connections that resonate across cultural and temporal boundaries.
