Bio

Aomi Kikuchi is a textile artist based in Kyoto, Japan and Brooklyn, New York. She holds a BFA from Kyoto University of Art & Design (Japan) and an MFA from Pratt Institute (USA) and is currently an artist in residence at the Textile Arts Center (USA). Aomi has exhibited her work throughout the world including at Today’s Silk Road Exhibition (China), LA Art Show Modern + Contemporary (California), and annual Japan Contemporary Art and Craft Exhibition (Tokyo Metropolitan Museum). With over 30 years, Aomi has dedicated extensive and immersive practice to Japanese Kimono Haute Couture, Yusen dyeing techniques, and silk fabrics after becoming a fashion designer. This background inspires her artistic exploration and her artwork utilizes various textile materials and techniques including extremely thin fibers, goose down, and cotton flower along with knitting, weaving, embroidery, and other craft techniques. Aomi’s figurative dyeing, textile installation, and soft sculptures exemplify her intentional selection of materials that are defined by delicacy and brittleness. With this, she aims to express Buddha's philosophy of impermanence, insubstantiality and suffering of all life. Aomi is currently working on a series of large scale installation pieces and sculptures that explore impermanence through the use of biology and nature with textiles. This new work will be on view at the Textile Arts Center in Fall 2020. 

Artist Statement

When I work, I always embrace the idea of living “a mindful life.”
The source of my inspiration is Buddha’s philosophy, specifically: impermanence, insubstantiality, and dissatisfaction, or suffering of all life—referred to in Japanese as Mujo(無常), Muga (無我), and Ku,(苦), respectively. Through my artistic exploration, I aim to raise awareness that acceptance of impermanence and insubstantiality can liberate us from dissatisfaction or suffering. These understanding can lead people to have “a mindful life.” My choice of materials and techniques are based on the recurring themes of finiteness and vulnerability.