Mariko Mori "White Hole" Solo Exhibition

Crystal - Sun pillar Object-Sculpture Spatial Installation 168x54 cm 2009 Mariko Mori "White Hole" solo exhibition: On display at Emmanuel Perrotin Gallery from May 23 to July 23. Mariko Mori (born 1967) is one of today's contemporary art stars, famous for her dramatic, satirical self-portraits. Her early works centered on the distorted world of contemporary Japanese society, appearing in streets, arcade shops, mobile phone stores, offices, and hotels. Under her ever-changing futuristic costumes, she evoked science fiction scenarios like Red Light (1994), Play With Me (1994), Warrior (1994), and Tea Ceremony (1994-96).

Soon, Mori entered a sensibility of Eastern Buddhist and Daoist symbols. Within the four elements of water, fire, earth, and air, in an extraordinary realm of fantasy, the artist transformed into Guanyin Bodhisattva, surrounded by cartoon-like figures in Nirvana or Pureland (1996-98), and filled with magical, sci-fi scenarios like Entropy of Love resembling water droplets. This series, under new digital imaging technology, further presented object-sculptures such as Enlightenment Capsule (1998) and Dream-Temple installations (1998), leading up to the extraordinary Wave UFO works of 2003—monumental, streamlined sculptures resembling water droplets or celestial bodies. The artist stated: "The act of artistic creation is destined to share the spirit of the world, transforming the current mutual treatment of humanity in politics, religion, and ideology. She serves this pure land, which is the only place where humanity can find peace."

In these new works for the "White Hole" solo exhibition, two major series of spiritual photographic images and a monument-style crystal-object sculpture installation are presented. The White Hole Series, like a radiant galaxy emitting strong white light, corresponds to the death of celestial bodies swallowed by bottomless black holes, ending the cycle of life renewal. In a poetic and imaginative spiritual context, it reveals the disillusionment of life. Regarding this series, the artist said: "My concept for this series is like a relationship connecting ideas. I hope these works simulate the manifestation of life and death, bringing us into this world of multiple volumes and challenging our imagination."