Title: "Self-portrait Inside the Origin of Desire"
Mari Ito was born in Tokyo, Japan in 1980. She majored in Nihonga, Japanese-style painting made with traditional practices, techniques and materials. She moved to Barcelona (Spain) in 2006. Since then she has taken up residence here and with Nihonga as her base she has developed various 2-D and sculptural works.
With her motif centered upon her childhood experiences, loud colours and sensitive but sophisticated lines create unique works beyond traditional Japanese painting, opening up a unique image of the world. In pursuing the universal theme of the seeds of human desire, with its mix of happiness, sorrow and wrath, and in particular through the recurring image of flowers with faces, she reveals her distinctive approach, which is also filled with humor. Through her captivating creations, she beckons us to contemplate the intricate tapestry of human emotion, unearthing the seeds that shape our existence.
One cannot help but be drawn to Mari’s recurring theme: flowers with faces. This whimsical touch reveals a distinctive aspect of her artistic identity, one infused with a delightful sense of humor. It is through these charming blooms that Mari invites us to share in her unique perspective on the world.
