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Spraygraphic Interview with Kathy Aoki
By Spraygraphic | December 31, 2007
Spraygraphic Interview with Kathy Aoki
SG: Please tell us about yourself?
KA: I’m a sneaky feminist. I use devices such as Japanese cartoon styles, advertising formats, and excessive detail to lure the viewer into artwork laced with a gender agenda.
SG: Where do you currently live and work?
KA: I live and work in Santa Clara, CA. I show my work all over California, with occasional national and international shows…
SG: What mediums do you work with?
KA: Printmaking, painting and drawing on paper, sculpture, installation, computer animation
SG: Describe your working process when creating a new work.
KA: I often refer to a back-log of stick-figure sketches. I basically teach myself the various media needed to complete something - is sewing, jig sawing, installation hardware. I use the Internet frequently for reference images - but conceptual ideas are brewing in the back of my mind all the time.
SG: What kind of things do you do when you get blocked or find it hard to create something?
KA: Often I’ll take a digital photo of where I am and take it home to look at - or perhaps sketch in some solution using Photoshop. Then I return to the studio with the new plan.
SG: Where are you currently finding your inspiration?
KA: Department stores, the mall, TV, basically mainstream media.
SG: Can you tell us a little about your two series: Modern Girlhood and Women w/Tools.
KA: The current work is the Modern girlhood series. It’s a visual allegory for how the media treats girls. Anime style construction girls (who represent the media) oversee the building of monuments to girlhood, such as giant open toed sandals and giant lip-gloss. These construction cuties capture teddy bears (who represent innocent girls) and transform them into sexy, submissive workers who must toil on the sites. The Women with tools work was a response to the publications such as the Rigid Tool calendar. The series also addresses male stereotypes regarding power and size.
SG: As an artist, in what ways has your experience as an Assistant Professor at Santa Clara influenced your work?
KA: With this job, I actually have a third party encouraging me to show my work and get grants. The school has been very supportive - so that is a big change on how much I can afford to do in terms of time, framing costs, etc. Teaching had been a part of my career since just after graduate school - so that part has not changed much.
SG: In what ways has your work changed since the mid 90s?
KA: I continue to address gender issues in my work, as I did in the mid nineties. But since then it had progressed through Women with tools (as a phallic metaphor), Women as superheroes based on their job skills, and now the Construction of Modern Girlhood, which has been going on for several years.
SG: Where has your work been seen?
KA: San Jose Museum of Art, Legion of Honor Museum (San Francisco), University of Kentucky, Humboldt State University, LMAN gallery (Los Angeles), Smith-Andersen Gallery (Palo Alto, CA), Yerba Buena Center for the Arts (San Francisco), plus Seattle, Kobe (Japan), Quito (Ecuador), Portland, Minneapolis…
SG: Where will it be seen next?
KA: Swarm Gallery Little Show
SG: What is your dream art assignment?
KA: Having no assignment!
SG: What is your favorite color?
KA: Orange
SG: Who is your favorite artist? And Why?
KA: I don’t have a favorite artist, but I do have a favorite dentist: Dr. Shishido in San Jose.
SG: What book/magazine are you reading this week?
KA: The Best American Non-required Reading.
SG: Ever do a self portrait? Where is it now?
KA: Of course. In a box.
SG: Where is your favorite place to hang out?
KA: On the sofa with a cup of cocoa - really.
SG: Any final words of advice?
KA: You can dooo it!
ART:
All images copyright Kathy Aoki (2005-2007)
1. Battle of Kawaii, mixed media on wood, installation 14 ft x 8 ft x 1 ft,
dimensions variable, 2005-2006.
2. Battle of Kawaii, detail
3. Pink Granite, two-plate linoleum cut with watercolor 14″ x 15″, 2007
4. Pony Dip (vat check), acrylic on paper, 50″wide by 42″ tall, 2006
5. Holy, Holy, Holy, mixed media on wood, installation 12 ft wide, 5 ft tall
x 1 ft depth - dimensions variable, 2007.
Topics: Artist Interviews, Graphic Design, Paintings, San Francisco Art Scene, Sculpture Art |
