Water Series Vol. 18, 12,000 Works

Namiyo Kubo

Exhibition

Water Series Vol. 18, 12,000 Works

Dates             January 19 - February 13, 2010

Reception             Wed. Jan.20, 5-7 PM

Viriidian Artists Inc. announces a most unusual exhibition. It is a show of the work of Namiyo Kubo that runs from January 19 - February 13.

This exhibition has an ambiguous title: “Water Series Vol. 18, 12,000 Works”. It is a startling installation of 12,000 paintings of camellias installed from the floor to the ceiling of the entire gallery.

There are 250 known varieties of camellias and, according to the Language of Flowers, Camellia means “Admiration, Perfection, Good Luck, Gift and Gratitude."” Ms. Kubo has given us 12,000 diverse versions of “Camellia Japonica”. Kubo started painting these 12,000 camellias two years ago after working with “Mizuhiki”. (Mizuhiki is an ancient Japanese artform). At the same time, she continued working on her other “Water” series and the “Whale” series. These grand themes she says ”are endless”.

Namiyo Kubo is one of Japan’s artists who represent the Western style of painting. Although she studied at the most prestigious of Japanese Universities and became a member of the Japan Art Institute, her work took on a new perspective after coming to New York and frequenting the Museum of Modern Art. She changed her work from classic Japanese paintings to a unique personal modern painting mode.