Chiho Aoshima
BALTIC, Gateshead, UK. 21 October – 28 January 2007
Gloucester Road Underground Station, London, UK. 25 July – 25 January 2007

Reviewed by: Rea Cris

The BALTIC hosts Chiho Aoshima’s first solo UK exhibit, which runs independently along side Aoshima’s first UK commission for London’s Underground art program, Platform Art. Aoshima is part of Takashi Murakami’s ‘art factory’ Kaikai Kiki LLC. A hub of contemporary Japanese artists, in which their work consisted of a mixture of traditional Japanese scroll techniques, digital technology and a wide range of cultural influences, such as manga, anime and kawaii (literally meaning cuteness but also describes a whole style. Think Hello Kitty). The art tackles serious issues such as the atomic bomb and sexual awkwardness as a result of a country plunge in perpetual childhood, but it comes with its consequences; a whole arsenal of cute and cuddly merchandise. Aoshima’s trademark is girls or fairies ‘dressed’ as worm-like skyscrapers.

Yet for her first UK show, there are only six pieces mainly focusing on the more manga aspect of her work, showing zombies, urban landscapes or destruction. There is no example of her more traditional scroll-like work, which would have balanced out the scope of her artistic practice. The exhibition focuses on the more cartoon aspect of her work, which demeans it as easy and frivolous. The most effective piece in the exhibit is City Glow (2005), which is a seven-minute digital animation spanned across five screens. The viewer travels through different vegetation to a distant city of Aoshima’s swaying girl-come-worm-like-skyscrapers. City Glow is mesmerizing because you recede from the city without ever leaving it as well as advance without ever reaching it. Like the rest of the exhibition it leaves you hungry for more.

City Glow, Mountain Whisper is another adaptation of the City Glow animation. Located at Gloucester Road underground station in London it consists of seventeen panels expanded along the arches of the platform representing a landscape that morphs from night cityscape to daytime countryside, complete with girls costumed as both skyscrapers and hills. It’s meant to mirror the journey of the passengers as the tube rides pass it. Both versions of City GlowCity Glow, Mountain Whisper feels like a psychedelic manga utopian version of travelling through society, which provides a perfect escape for the Londoners as they cramp up against each other during rush hour. It is easy to forget that Aoshima’s art (as well as others in the Kaikai Kiki factory, Murakami included) hasn’t varied much. address the notion of an escape to fantasy through travel. Aoshima’s work, in what ever form it takes is entrancing, but one wishes she would take the next step forward.

www.blaticmill.com
www.kaikaikiki.co.jp
http://www.tfl.gov.uk/tube/arts/platform-for-art/