Featured | Yuriko Hirose
Andy Warhol admired Hirose’s work, noting her captivating use of color in space and form during their meeting in Warhol’s New York studio in 1986, just a year before his passing.
Hirose’s artworks are a vibrant display of color, aiming to evoke cheerfulness and positivity in viewers. Notably, her expressions bear resemblance to Japanese woodblock prints and cut-out paper art.
In her art, Hirose strives to convey universal messages that transcend boundaries of country, race, and religion. Her “Symbolic Series” features iconic landmarks like Mount Fuji, the Statue of Liberty, and the Brooklyn Bridge, reinterpreted with her unique blend of color and Japanese tones.
A distinctive aspect of Hirose’s work is her use of multiple vibrant shades to represent human skin color, symbolizing unity among all races and souls. For instance, in “From Brooklyn Bridge,” she employs red for a man’s skin and orange for the Statue of Liberty’s face, abstracting skin colors in a harmonious manner. Her stance against discrimination is rooted in the values instilled by her mother, characterized by freedom, tolerance, and hope.
Based in Tokyo, Yuriko Hirose creates both paintings and sculptures. Her art has been showcased internationally, including exhibitions at prominent venues such as the World Trade Center (NY), Seibu Department Store (Tokyo), and the Munakata International Environmental Conference (Fukuoka).
Hirose’s accolades include the Olympic Park Sculpture Nomination Award (Beijing, 2006), Prize of Excellence at ART NOW (London, 2005), and the Regional Design Annual Award of ART & DESIGN for the book “PRINT” (US, 2003). She has also received awards such as the SEIBU SEED “DDA award” and Ginza SEIBU “ADC award” (Tokyo, 1988-1985).
– JC