KOSAKU KANECHIKA is pleased to present fumiko imano’s solo exhibition “LA☆Fumiko Imano,” opening on October 19th.

The strikingly amusing compositions of fumiko imano, who most commonly works within the medium of 35mm film photography, includes a series of photomontages that are spliced together in a never-before-seen manner. By cutting and pasting together a series of self-portraits taken from a precisely duplicated photographic frame, a consistent twin-like motif of the artist is reproduced, as she physically moves throughout each print. Encapsulating an innocently nostalgic and humorous charm that is reminiscent of photographs that might have been taken on a family trip, imano’s self-portraits elicit an instinctive smile from their viewers. In sharp contrast, it is from the distinct demarcation where two images have become juxtaposed against one another that the illusion of playful wonder is instantly dispelled. Against the backdrop of a highly digitized world enabling the precise synthesis of digital images, the purposely simple, handmade quality of imano’s works convey an undeniably emotional disposition. Accompanied by the artist’s introspection, viewers are able to enter imano’s fictional playground.

Beyond the artist’s technique, an awareness of her own self-identity has remained an enduring contextual theme. Having spent ages two to eight in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, an international adolescence would have lasting effects in shaping her transition into adulthood. After studying and working in London throughout her early 20s, it was her eventual return to Japan and the concurrent sense of culture shock she felt that caused imano to experience a crippling identity crisis. The artist has explained that her twin motifs were born, “as if by magic”, out of her fragmented identity. Conceived out of a place of necessity and healing, imano’s imaginary double evokes a sense of companionship throughout her diary-like frames. Through the playfulness of her fictional twin, feelings of warmth and affection are effortlessly conveyed to viewers.

In the exhibition “LA☆Fumiko Imano,” 27 works from her 2015 photobook of the same title will be exhibited. Presented as a record of her travels to the West Coast city of Los Angeles, viewers are able to join the imano twins during their whimsical interactions with fauna and wildlife. It is through these delightful snapshots that the iconic metropolis is reinvented as an original landscape.

Amongst other endeavors, imano is highly regarded for her collaborations in the fashion industry. In recent years, her work with LOEWE’s 2018 Spring/Summer Collection lookbook has been highly acclaimed. We cordially invite you to enjoy fumiko imano’s first solo exhibition at KOSAKU KANECHIKA.

fumiko imano

Born in 1974, imano spent much of her childhood in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. She then went on to study fine arts at Central St. Martins College of Art and Design and Fashion Styling and Photography at London Fashion College. Since her return to Japan in 2002, she has situated her home-base in Hitachi City. To date, imano’s works have been exhibited in Berlin, France, Hong Kong, Iceland, London, Tokyo and other parts of the world. She has likewise released multiple publications including “We Oui!” (Little Big Man Books, 2017). Imano’s works have also been featured in both domestic and foreign media.