KARL RECOMMENDS : MARIKO MORI

Royal Academy of Arts
Burlington House  Piccadilly
London W1J 0BD
+44 20 7300 8000
http://www.royalacademy.org.uk

Through February 17th 2013,
Since her first exhibitions in the mid-1990s, New York based Japanese artist Mariko Mori’s practice has been rooted in both traditional and contemporary Japanese culture, and between East and West. Her works juxtapose contrasting aesthetic languages that have ranged from traditional tea ceremonies to Manga and cyber culture, fusing Shintoism and Buddhism with the hard planes of science and technology. Mori’s recent practice has evolved around a fascination with ancient cultures, among them prehistoric Jomon (c.14,000 – 300 BC) in Japan and Celtic traditions in Europe. Founded on a belief in cycles of death and rebirth, these were marked by a holistic world view that placed mankind in a more harmonious relationship with our surroundings. These interests are expressed through emerging technologies and digital media, which the artist embraces as tools to be harnessed in order to reconnect with our environment.