She was born in Ibaraki prefecture and lives in Funabashi in Japan. After graduating from Joshibi Univ. of Art & Design,Tokyo, she started her artist career in early 1970’s. She has had numerous number of solo exhibitions and joined group exhibitions in her home country as well as in Italy, Germany, Portugal, Austria, the UK and The USA. She also participated in art events: Florence Art Biennale, London Art Biennale, Art Expo New York, Chianciano Art Awards, Tokyo Tower Art Biennale etc.
MASTERPIECE REVIEW
Verko G-11
2021, Oil on Canvas, 90.9 ×72.7cm
“Verko G-11,” a captivating oil on canvas by the distinguished artist Misa Aihara, has been rightfully honored with the Future of Art Global Masterpiece Award in 2024. Measuring 90.9 × 72.7 cm, this work is not merely a painting but an encapsulation of Aihara’s profound exploration into the realms of abstract expressionism. This accolade, presented by the Future of Art Global Masterpiece Award Jury Board, marks a momentous achievement in Aihara’s career, spotlighting her as a trailblazer in the contemporary art world.
The painting stands out for its compelling composition and its subtle yet powerful use of color. Aihara employs a restricted palette dominated by earthy browns and muted whites, which might seem simplistic at first glance. However, the depth and complexity of her technique soon become apparent. The way the colors blend and contrast with each other creates a dynamic interplay of shadows and light, evoking a sense of movement within the confines of the canvas. The geometric abstraction suggests an architectural form, perhaps a metaphor for the structures we build in our lives and minds.
Aihara’s brushwork is deliberate and confident. Each stroke contributes to an overall texture that is tactile and rich, suggesting the artist’s hands-on approach and her direct engagement with the medium. This texture adds a threedimensional quality to the work, making the abstract forms seem almost tangible. The viewer is invited not just to look but to feel the artwork, to experience its topography as an exploration of emotional depth and intellectual inquiry.
The significance of “Verko G-11” lies in its ability to connect with the viewer on multiple levels. It is intellectually engaging, prompting questions about the nature of form and the boundaries of abstraction. Emotionally, it resonates by evoking a landscape that is familiar yet mysterious, comforting yet provocative. This duality is where Aihara’s artistry shines brightest, her ability to harness simplicity in service of expressing complex ideas.
The Future of Art Global Masterpiece Award recognizes not just the technical skills of the artists it honors but also their capacity to push the boundaries of what art can be. Aihara’s work is a prime example of this mission. Her painting does not just occupy space; it creates its own space, inviting the viewer to step in, reflect, and emerge transformed. It is this transformative power, coupled with impeccable technique and original vision, that makes “Verko G-11” a deserving recipient of this prestigious award.
The award highlights the painting’s role in advancing the global art landscape. By recognizing Aihara, the award underlines the importance of innovation and creativity in contemporary art, championing those who inspire and lead the way for future generations of artists.
Misa Aihara’s “Verko G-11” is not just a masterpiece of modern art but also a beacon of what the future of art holds. It exemplifies the highest ideals of creativity and innovation, making it a worthy recipient of the Future of Art Global Masterpiece Award. As the art world continues to evolve, it is artists like Aihara who will lead the charge, challenging us to see the world in new and profound ways.
Future of Art Global Masterpiece Award Jury Board and Marta Puig, Editor of Contemporary Art Curator Magazine.
INTERVIEW QUESTIONS:by Contemporary Art Curator Magazine Dec. 2024
1) In your artistic practice, you engage deeply with the reality of a painting, using elements like color, texture, and composition to probe perceptual experiences. Could you share your insights on how this exploration challenges traditional philosophical notions of reality and perception? Additionally, how does your art reflect or distort the viewer’s sense of the real?
Aihara: How much could I share my exploration? If the viewer sees my work not as a group of pictorial abstract elements on the picture, but as some existing vision on the canvas, we could share what I challenge.
2) Your creative process incorporates elements of chaos and order, embracing both structured planning and spontaneous creation. Philosophically, how do you navigate the tension between these opposing forces? What does this interplay reveal about your broader understanding of the creative process, and how do you think it impacts the final artwork?
Aihara: Without chaos, one can not challenge creation. Chaos is the origin of creation. Order is not a final goal; it is a mere supporting partner. As intense as the tension between them is, I will get a better result.
3) Your approach to completing artworks varies significantly in time—from days to years. How does this variation in time spent on each piece affect the depth and layers of meaning in your art? Do you view time as an essential medium in your work, akin to physical materials like paint and canvas?
Aihara: Patience, a key element in my artistic practice, is often tested. I find myself spending the majority of my day in front of my work, engaging in various avtivities such as reading a newspaper, having lunch, or enjoying a cup of coffee. This time allows me to deeply contemplate each pictorial element on the canvas, podering its meaning and considering my next move.
Sometimes I need help finding a clue for the next step. Then, I stopped working anf left the picture behind for days to years. When I rturn to it for a review, I can see what I have been seeking. This action of reviewing my work after a break gives me a deeper approach to the core of the work, helping me to see it with fresh eyes and gain insights.
4) During your creative process, you occasionally confront moments where something feels ‘wrong,’ whether it’s a color choice or a compositional element. How do you philosophically resolve these moments of doubt? In an arena as subjective as art, is there truly a ‘wrong,’ or are these moments more about personal artistic boundaries and expectations?
Aihara: Before starting a painting, I always spend a week to months developing an idea. I consider the colour choice and conpositinal elements. As a sketch of a plan contains various presentational potentialities, I need to set a goal and a process. I work according to the plan but occatinally conftont a moment when I find something wrong. I try to think through the problem. It’s a moment that revolves around personal artistic boundaries and expectations. This is a pivotal moment for me. where every thoughtful choice I make empowers me and guides me towards my artistic goal.
5) You often find that unexpected clues help complete your artworks, suggesting a significant role for the unconscious mind in your creative process. How much do you think your artistic decisions are influenced by unconscious processes? Do you believe an artist can fully understand the origins of their creative impulses, or is there always an element of mystery?
Aihara: My artistic practice is a journey that reaches the point where I can go far beyond my initial decision. The sketch shows essentionalwork, while I need to decide on the process to complete the job. In the process, I make some plans, analyse them, try one of them, and analyze the result. I reapeat the actions till I have come to the goal which I have never imagined.
6) Your work aims to convey emotional and spiritual impacts, suggesting a view of art as a medium for spiritual expression. How do you see the act of creating art as a spiritual practice, and how does this align with or differ from other spiritual practices you are familiar with?
Aihara: Visual experience is one of human’s mental and spiritual practice.
7) You hope that viewers engage with your art on an emotional level, focusing on the feelings elicited rather than searching for representational elements. What role do you think the viewer plays in the life of an artwork? Is their interpretation just as vital as your intent, or is it a secondary aspect of the art’s existence?
Aihara: Someone told me that she appreciates artwork, if it excites her emotionally. It is her unique and personal aspect of art appreciation. Did the artwork excite you? What part of the artwork excited you? Did you want to engage with the life of the work? The questions will guide you to a visual experience you have never had.
8) You consider a work finished when it aligns with what you imagined. From a philosophical standpoint, do you believe an artwork can ever be truly completed, or is it merely abandoned at a stage that satisfies the artist’s current vision and needs?
Aihara: An artist grows with her work. In other words, she has never completed her artwork. However, she has achieved many milestones, so people understand what she has done.
9) Throughout your career, you have witnessed and adapted to various changes—personal, cultural, and technological. How have these changes influenced the evolution of your artistic identity? Do you view your artistic self as a constant, or do you believe it is something that continuously evolves and adapts over time?
Aihara: I see my artistic self as constant. I was sometimes unhappy to see people not interested in my work. They probably get embarrassed by my unusual style of work. However, I have no choice but follow my exploration. She has had numerous solo exhibitions and joined group exhibitions in her home country, Italy, Germany, Portugal, Austria, the UK and the USA. She has also participated in art events such as The Florence Art Biennale, the London Art Biennale, The Art Expo New York, chianciano Art Awards, etc.
Viviana Puello
Editor-in-Chief
ArtTour International Magazine
Misa Aihara draws her inspiration from many sources. Usually, she says, the image of the complete piece dosen’t come to mind before she begins, but as she starts working on a piece, a small detail of the same can trigger her imagination and influence the result. Other times, this inspiration comes from the atmosphere or the whole structure of the canvas.
Many of her works have acquired her great popularity and recognition the world over. Just glancing at her works, one may classify them as abstract. On further scrutiny, however, one can begin to recognize an organized and planned spontaneity-the result, order out of chaos, compositions that evoke profound feelings in the viewer as an invitation to explore deeper dimensions of consciousness.
Misa Aihara is, without a doubt, one of the best artists who has emerged in the international art arena in recent years. Her works are timeless masterpieces full of depth and meaning. Aihara’s passion, dedication, and drive are represented in every piece. She is incredibly accomplished and is striving to discover more in her research into colors and how they influence one’s emotions. This unstoppable artist is a great source of inspiration, and her career is a testimonial to how far dedication and excellence can take an indivisual in her journey.
October 2016
Color as content by Rose Hobart 2012
Rose Hobart: There is a certain rhythmic pattern prevalent in many of your paintings, is there any correlation between the notion of musical composition and the performance of colors in your artwork?
Misa Aihara: Musical composers work with sounds, which are originally noise. Sound alone, does not express a concrete rhythm. I am interested in that notion of music. I want to make a performance with non-representational parts of colors, textures, brushstrokes and so on-every component on canvas.
Misa Aihara is an incredibly accomplished painter. Though her canvases seem to have been comprised by an abstract-expressionist’s agenda, on second look it is obvious that the artist’s hand, here, is calculated. It’s hard to develop an extremely lucid explanation, or even a definitive emotion when staring at Misa’s artworks. Which is why they are so compelling. It is within the calculated chaos of her canvases that one finds intrigue, a spark that keeps you looking to discover more.
Misa Aihara creates kaleidoscopic paintings by filling the canvases with thick layers of color that visually stir emotions through sensatinal perception. Misa Aihara utilizes color theory in order to show how colors interact between one another and how a simple juxtapositon between hues builds depth to a two-dimentinal canvas.
One becomes enveloped with intricate relationships between line, shape and color standing in front of Misa Aihara’s large scale oil on canvas paintings, and her briliant coloration and whimsical forms charismatically entice personal sentiments from all grace with her opulent paintings.
(Ruthie Tucker-Amsterdam Whitney Gallery NYC)