In Momo Yoshino’s work, she uses optical illusions in order to allow two dimensional paintings to create virtual space within exhibition sites. Seamlessly connecting the works to the spaces in which they are shown, (many of them being planned for specific sites) she aims to expand the limitations of painting as a medium and envelop viewers in the painting space.
She has created specific installation paintings at many places, for example: murals at Koganecho in Yokohama, Mukojima in Tokyo, and Royal Academy School’s bar in London. In recent years, she is also working on tableaus in the concept of “space” in the view of how people sense the space.
In “Kami” series, she gave expression of Origami focusing on the spatial and spirituality of Japanese culture. The series are painted on the shaped panels to give an illusion of depth. As Japan is an earthquake-country, buildings are designed to have flexibility. For instance, pillars have spaces to move so as to absorb shaking. She considered that Origami represents well this cultural feature in that it is very simple on its own but also has infinite potential and flexibility to transform into various things. In addition,
“Kami” also means God in Japanese.
Japanese have been believed that there are like sacred existence in nature such as mountains and rivers from ancient time. She folded Origami into the shape of imagined nature to express something “being there”. Her painting is painted non-exist space as if they really exists