Pictured: Kyoko Hashimoto in her studio
The Art Gallery of South Australia has teamed up with Guildhouse and the James & Diana Ramsay Foundation to share their latest exhibition, ‘Kyoko Hashimoto: Eight Million Deities (Yaoyorozu no Kami)’. This solo exhibition has been curated by Maria Zagala to showcase the intriguing and ecologically sensitive work of Japanese-born, South Australian-based artist Kyoko Hashimoto. It highlights the work from her year-long Guildhouse Fellowship, a prestigious platform designed to propel the careers of mid-career visual artists.
The exhibition opened to the public at the end of August and will be running until November 2nd. This event is a huge milestone in the artistic journey of Kyoko, who has taken this opportunity to explore new creative terrains, particularly in the wake of a challenging period of ill health in 2022.
Over the past year, Kyoko’s exploration into the symbiotic relationship between personal and ecological health has led her to fundamentally reconsider her artistic mediums and processes. Moving away from the hard metals typically used in her contemporary jewellery, Kyoko has turned to natural, foraged materials. Her latest works feature objects made from hand-made papier-mache, and necklaces and sculptures that highlight the delicate connection between human impact and the natural world. Her artistic process involved creating pigments from rocks found in her own garden and using these in paintings that draw inspiration from microscopic studies of their mineral structures.
Kyoko shared, “Three years ago, I could not have foreseen the series of events that led me to the production of this body of work. I’m so grateful for this opportunity that allowed me to reimagine my practice, to one which is more sustainable, in terms of both personal and ecological health.”
The Guildhouse Fellowship, valued at $50,000, is supported by the visionary contribution of the James & Diana Ramsay Foundation and offers artists a significant opportunity to expand and explore their practices within a supportive framework. This year-long partnership with the Art Gallery of South Australia allows for ambitious research and the development of new directions.
Kerry de Lorme, Executive Director of the James & Diana Ramsay Foundation, shared, “Supporting artists like Kyoko is exactly why this Fellowship exists. We’re so proud to play a part in backing South Australian artists to take creative risks and share their stories in such meaningful ways. One of the real joys of being involved in the Fellowship is seeing how past recipients have gone on to build their national profile, deepening their practices, and inspiring new conversations and audiences.”
Guildhouse Chief Executive Officer Beth Neate added, “The Guildhouse Fellowship is unique in South Australia, and rare nationally in offering mid-career artists the time, resources and institutional partnership needed to explore their most ambitious ideas. Kyoko has embraced this opportunity with courage and innovation, producing work that is materially rich, conceptually deep and globally relevant. We thank the James & Diana Ramsay Foundation for making this transformative gift possible and AGSA for championing South Australian artists.”
‘Kyoko Hashimoto: Eight Million Deities (Yaoyorozu no Kami)’ is a meditative and revealing exploration of the engagements between the artist, her materials, and the broader ecological and spiritual realms. It is an exhibition not to be missed!
Kyoko Hashimoto: Eight Million Deities (Yaoyorozu no Kami)
When: Until November 2nd
Where: Art Gallery of South Australia
For more information, click here.
