Many years have passed since I created the Self-Portrait series entitled gIntimate Reflections 1991-1995.h Following the idea of gI have a piece of you and you have a piece of me,h I interviewed friends living in New York, Seattle, Paris, Cuba and several cities in Japan and painted them to create a unique self-portrait series. After the climatic exhibition of these paintings at Sagacho Exhibit Space (Tokyo) and Honen-in Temple (Kyoto) from 1995 ~1996 and publication of a book that included these paintings, I went through a gDeath and Birthh like period and fell off the art world radar.
In 2001, I resurfaced and found myself in a place where children from all over the world gather. I became an art teacher teaching international students in Tokyo. gIntimate Reflections 2006-2008: The Spell and The Butterfliesh is continuation of the Self-Portrait series begun in 1991, but instead of using interviews to capture the essence for my paintings, I spent many hours creating art work with my students. This interaction brought a new pure happiness into my life which is evident in my paintings.
Although all of my little students are special to me, I specifically painted the girls. At first I couldnft figure out the reason, but while I was painting, I realized that those girls have pieces of me. And I have pieces of them. gIntimate Reflections 2006-2008: The Spell and The Butterfliesh is my re-birth self-portrait series.
I learned that each girl has her own gstoryh and that they live in a place somewhere between their fantasy world and the real world just like I live my daily life. In both cases, sweet things and scary monsters exist together.
These young girls flutter into my life like fragile butterflies and when the time comes they fly away to another place in a different country. In my paintings, I capture the precious fleeting moments we shared and the happiness these moments brought to my life. Yes, Life brought me a miracle and I enjoy it.
August 20, 2008 Sanae Takahata |
