.art history fridays.Kumi Yamashita

Kumi Yamashita was born in Japan and lives in New York City. She received an MFA from Glasglow School of Art in the UK in 1999.

Her work is mostly constructed from everyday objects: building blocks, thread, nails, credit card rubbings, lights.

I sculpt using light and shadow. I construct single or multiple objects and place them in relation to a single light source. The complete artwork is therefore comprised of both the material (the solid objects) and the immaterial (the light or shadow).

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Kumi Yamashita:

Yamashita is an engineer, creating incredible forms that are realistically rendered. They aren’t blocky or awkwardly composed; her silhouettes are very fluid. At different vantage points, you wouldn’t think that a seated figure came from a sheet of paper. But once you do, it instantly elevates her shadows. The amount of craft put in each installation is inspired.

By subtly manipulating materials such as paper, fabric and wood, she uses strategic lighting to create shadow art installations. Yamashita focuses on the human figure and proves that an attention to detail make all the difference. She makes tiny cuts to paper and carefully drapes fabric.

Coupled with a careful consideration of folding and lighting, these pieces are a feat of engineering.

In the ongoing series entitled CONSTELLATION, the Japanese artist uses three simple materials to produce these otherworldly works of art.

Yamashita uses a single, unbroken thread wrapped around thousands of nails to create stunning portraits of women and men.

MANA, the first artwork featured below, was recently selected as one of 50 finalists for the Outwin Boochever Portrait Competition, a triennial event being held at the Smithsonian Museum’s National Portrait Gallery in Washington, D.C.

Yamashita’s artwork was selected from over 3,000 entries and is on display at the National Portrait Gallery until February 23, 2014.