A Gust of Wind on The Cuff

Arko

2024
Rice Straw, Thread
141 x 118 x 10 cm | 55.5 x 46.4 x 3.9 in.

Arko lives and works in Japan. She has exhibited at international art fairs including Masterpiece, Design Miami, PAD London, TEFAF Maastricht and FOG San Francisco. She has also exhibited extensively in international group shows such as Changing Attitude, Japan, 2019; Loewe Baskets during Milan Design Week, Italy, 2019; Object Come from the Earth, Japan, 2018; and Say No to Limits, China, 2007. In 2018, she was shortlisted for the Loewe Craft Prize and exhibited at the Design Museum, UK.

Arko’s sculptures use rice straw, a by-product of the rice plant. The material previously played a significant role in everyday Japanese life and was used to make items such as shoes, coats, blankets, and food wrappers. Now its main use is for the production of traditional straw festoons, which are holy ornaments for Shinto New Year ceremonies. It has almost faded out from modern life, despite large volumes of rice crops still being produced for food consumption. Arko’s practice aims to reinvigorate the material by creating something new with it, to highlight it again within contemporary society and inspire feelings of respect for the natural world that provides us with sustenance.