Ai Ryumon uses oil paint to portray the female fashion of her generation,characterised in her striking paintings with bold compositions of vibrantcolours.This masks a somewhat dark sense of humour, easily over looked on firstviewing.

In contrast, Keiko Masumoto is a ceramicist. Ceramics on di splay in thedomestic setting have their decorative role promoted at the loss of theirfunctional role.Keiko Masumoto, however, boldly mixes Japanese traditional and decorativemotifs to produce an alternative way of looking at these objects.

The two Artists have certain points of similarity, in that they create newArt objectsby combining and contrasting figures and images from the fashion andceramics worlds, each of which already have their own formal language.One can at once appreciate the novelty and surprising combination of humourand cruelty, resulting from the juxtaposition of Japanese culturalmiscellany and the depth and mystery that is the aesthetic sense of Japan.

* Reception and artist talk: August 7, 2010, at 17:00

* The text provided by IMURA ART GALLERY.

Opened dates: August 8 - 28, 2010 (closed 12 Aug. thu. - 16 Aug. mon, 2010)