Price by request

Artwork Description

Eri Imamura’s fiber artwork combines indigenous beading technique of Native Americans with traditional kimono fabric through the visuals of Manga. . Filled with symbolism, her artwork delves into human psyche and how we try to cope with the prevailing issues around us. Born in 1977 in Tokyo, Eri Imamura lives and works between Tokyo and Bangkok. In 2001, she got a BA majoring in Textile Arts from the Tokyo University of the Arts (東京藝術大學), the most prestigious art school in Japan. Specialized in weaving and dying (染織専攻), she has kept the Kimono at the core of her artistic practice, but transformed the traditional garment into three-dimensional soft sculptures. From 2003 to 2007, Eri encountered a lifechanging experience in New Mexico, United States: her long-lasting residency among Native Americans led her to full training in Amerindian beading artistry under the supervision of Teri Greeves, a renowned beadwork artist. This later materialized with her Associate Arts (AA) degree in Indigenous Studies from the Institute of American Indian Arts, Santa Fe, awarded with highest honors in 2007. In the wake of these seminal achievements, her torsos, bas-reliefs, and installations employ cross-cultural and multidisciplinary expertise, from Manga and tattoo art to animist beliefs and rituals. Ultimately, the art of Eri Imamura mirrors the fate of modern urban societies entrapped in materialism and the deep aspiration of her contemporaries to reconnect spiritually with nature. Her work is collected across continents, from America to Asia.