As a graduate student of Tokyo University of the Arts, Asae Soya was already drawing attention with her paintings that depic variousdaily objects such as a bathtub full of pale light, and ordinary everyday scenes. Awarded the Grand Prize at "The 6th Exhibition of Showa Shell Sekiyu Contemporary Art Prize" in 2001 and VOCA Prize at "The Vision of Contemporary Art 2002," she is now a leading young artist of Japan. Her works, which sparkle as if they were equipped with a sensation. Viewers feel illusioned as if they were enveloped in light.
In recent years, she has expanded the field of her activities to installation and public art. There again, her works with gentle, all-encompassing light and color with dynamism attract viewers. In this exhibition, not only her masterpieces, new paintings and installations are displayed, but also her challenge for video production making good use of space will be introduced to show her new phase as an artist.

Main works
1. First video installation 'sora':
A space, in which viewers feel like going through the forest of colors floating in the air, has been created by projecting animation onto a floating mirror sphere so as to reflect onto the entire exhibition room. The forest that appears to be the source of creation transforms itself every moment as if it were breathing, embracing viewers. The original paintings of the animation are exhibited in a separate room.

2. Comprehensive display of paintings from masterpieces to new pieces:
Approximately 25 pieces of her major oil paintings such as 'Bathtub,' 'Slider,' 'The Light' and 'Airport' are on display. Also shown are about 45 drawings arranged according to different materials such as pastel, watercolor and mica, which were produced in conjunction with her wide-ranging works from painting to installation and video. The display is constructed so sas to follow the current of Soya's thoughts.

3. New installation wrapped in light and color:
The exhibits include 'Ringing' which is meant to represent ripples of sound emitted by color, and 'Ringing Light' which is meant to show sounds emitted by light. In 'Ringing,' painted magnets are used so that they can be arranged differently several times during the exhibition period. For 'Ringing Light,' spirals of light are created by lighting and film that changes color according to the light source and different angles. As both of the two are enveloped in light and colors echoing in the whole space, viewers can experience the feeling of being part of the work.

*image (left)
sora, 2013
video projection experiments with models
Photo by Suzaki Kazushi
© Asae Soya 

Courtesy of Art Tower Mito