Japanese artist Kumi Yamashita has created a magical new shadow figure using just light and fabric. Called Veil, it’s a temporary installation on view until December 1 at Villa Olmo in Como, Italy as part of the 23rd edition of Miniartextil, an annual exhibition that focuses on contemporary art that utilizes textiles. This year’s theme is Eros and it includes incredible works from more than 60 artists from around the world.
In Veil, Kumi creates the shadow of a female figure by carefully sculpting the edges of a piece of fabric. It’s not the folds in the cloth that create the shadow then, it’s the edges. This is the first time the artist has worked on a horizontal plane. One of her most subtle works, it’s not clear what is going on when a visitor first enters the room, it requires time and patience to see it.
Yamashita is one of those artists who we can always count on to push boundaries. From when we first discovered her work back in 2010, she’s never ceased to amaze us.
Here is the statement we received from the artist in regards to this installation, “The word ‘Eros’ triggers censored images of nudity that I grew up with in Japan. Raised in a country where revealing one’s self, not only physically but also verbally, is not well received, one learns to see what is unseen and to hear what is unsaid. I prefer this way. To imagine.”
