Recently the LA Art Show was featured on the cover of the LA Times during its reign at the Los Angeles Convention Center. It brought the usual and not-so-usual art goers to downtown LA. Opening night was one of LA Art Show’s finest with James Franco as guest of honor.
One particular piece was that of Hiroko Tsuchida. She is a very young Japanese artist who has won some prestigious awards including the 48th Art Now in Kanazwa Hokuiku chuunichi. Her work crosses over in both design and contemporary art. She primarily works in metal and focuses on jewelry making. During LA Art Show she had constructed a metal frame mirror with a modern chain that shackled the artist to her own work. She had described this as “a huge impression and is a powerful tool of my self-expression. Something so small can be so impactful.” When asked why she connected herself to the work, she answered, “by wearing this large necklace and anchoring it to the ground, I’m forced to view myself objectively from common eyes.”
The work, Me from ME, was described as “performance art”. I would disagree with this description as she has stated in her own work concept as “material, shape, dimension, and structure.” Her philosophy does not mention anything that would reflect the body or live art. She presents herself as a model showing the pieces. She does not perform with authority but instead, allows the work to be the presence. The artist is more illustrating how these objects function but they are more about design and less about concept but there is ingenuity and creatively. They were quite beautiful and luxurious.