Leiko Ikemura: Cosmic Mom at Galerie Peter Kilchmann, Zürich
August 30 – October 12, 2024
Leiko Ikemura’s Cosmic Mom exhibition examines form, presence, and transformation that powerfully blends the ethereal with the grounded. In the first room, her “Female Figures” transcend their traditional two-dimensional medium by detaching from the walls and standing independently in space. This presentation gives them a mystical and almost surreal aura. The larger-than-life depictions of female forms resonate with a quiet yet forceful strength, creating a space where independence and connection coexist in a delicate balance. The figures, seemingly floating, assert themselves with a soft, physical presence that transforms the viewer’s perception of the artwork and the surrounding architecture.
The second room shifts this dynamic further into abstraction, where figuration gently dissolves into amorphous forms. Ikemura’s use of light—particularly in her glass pieces like Usagi Face—turns these objects into almost ghostly apparitions, capturing and radiating light to transform the space into something meditative. The interplay between transparency and luminescence speaks to her ongoing interest in materials that both hold and reflect light, creating an experience where the viewer is not just looking at objects but rather experiencing light as a material. This thoughtful use of light and abstraction introduces a contemplative dimension, blurring the boundaries between tangible and immaterial forms.
The final room combines Ikemura’s wide-ranging mediums, from drawings to bronze sculptures. Her Something out of Head sculpture is a monumental synthesis of nature and the human figure, recalling Brancusi’s fusion of landscape and form. With its mix of organic and sculptural elements, this work hints at a primordial state of existence where microcosmic and macrocosmic elements converge. The surrounding drawings in red hues convey a sense of movement, joy, and anger, capturing fleeting moments of emotion and transformation. Throughout the exhibition, Ikemura’s works offer viewers a journey through her ongoing exploration of existential themes, nature, and the human condition, both in its quiet beauty and dynamic energy.
