PTP Bijoux Fantasie 2013 ~ Suzumi Noda
I made my artwork with wool in the 1980’s. In order to know the culture of sheep I visited inner Mongolia. The nomadic life is simple and homely with respect to their self-sufficiency. I became aware that I shouldn’t go out of my way to use imported wool because I can get more familiar materials from the daily life around me, for example, packing materials, labels and other discarded rubbish. I live in Osaka, which doesn’t have fields which yield wool or cotton. I use junk materials to recreate more delicate and sensitive objects using my own knitting technique whereby I can easily deconstruct and reconstruct.
One after another, we create so many scraps. This is so difficult to stop. I live a fast-paced life, even though I yearn for the nostalgia of linen, cotton and other natural materials. Where I come from, natural materials are limited so I know I have to use them wisely.
It’s impossible for me to create artistic expressions solely through natural materials because I live in the metropolis. I don’t think this is being out of touch with reality. Art is reality. I am confronting my reality and expressing this through my work.
Some artists admire rain, flowers, the beauty of the landscape but even though I appreciate the beauty of nature, at the same time, the state of modern ecology forces me to question this surface beauty. Is the water falling from the skies really safe? Is the water really clean? Is it healthy for humans?
When my mother sees vigorous young people she repeatedly says, “I could do everything then”.
Recently, many people around me have been troubled by illnesses; from heart disease and Alzheimer’s disease, to diabetes and depression. They must feel it’s brilliant to be in good health.
Medicine helps decrease the risk of illness and gives them release from pain. The large number of empty pill packs prove to me their earnest and urgent wishes. My heart swells from sending them prayers.
At the end of the second world war, a young girl called Sadako Sasaki once made 1000 folded paper cranes for the survivors of the Hiroshima atomic bomb. In the same way, I have been knitting pillpacks together – juxtaposing health with illness, using discarded pillpacks to create precious jewellery.
Some people are not naturally talented when it comes to art and are unconscious of their inherent artistic sensibility. I’m able to enjoy good food and music well enough, even though I’ve never consciously “learned” them. Art is just the same. When we’re in good health, cake and sushi taste delicious!
We can feel art even if we’re sick; maybe art can even help to make us better. Art is medicine for the heart.
SUZUMI NODA
Current: Kyoto City University of Arts / Professor
Kawashima Textile School / Adviser
Solo Exhibition
2017 Gallery Gallery. Kyoto‘89〜14 times
2015 Fiberspace / Stockholm Sweden
2012 Ilaria Nistri Showroom & DAAD Dantone / Milan Italy (Sept – Dec)
Group Exhibition
2019 KAWNAS BIENNIAL／M.K Ciurlionis National Museum of Art LITHUANIA
2015 Kawaii Exhibition／UCA UK
2011 Lost in Lace / Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery UK
Bite-Size Exhibition / The Daiwa Anglo Japanese Foundation in London UK
Re : a prefix / Hyogo Prefectural Museum and Western Australian Museum
2010 13th International Triennial of Tapestry / Lodz POLAND
Forms and Colors of Textile／Okayama Prefectural Museum Dec.21st.2010 – Jan.30th.2011
2007 Exchange Japan-Australia／Kyoto Art Center JAPAN
2006 Milano Salone Satellite : Suzumi Noda Studio director / Milano ITALY
2005 The 5th international Kaunas Textile Art Biennial / LITHUANIA
5th Triennial international tapestry and textile art exhibition / Tournai BELGIUM
2004 Miniartextil como / ITALY
The Space Between / Curtin University of Technology AUSTRALIA
2003 Exchange Japan-Bulgaria / National Art Gallery / Sofia. BULGARIA
2002 Nuno Kire Construction / Kobe Fashion Museum
2001 Contemporary Lace Exhibition / AUSTRALIA
1997 International Textile Competition Kyoto <Fine Art Award>
Artist in Residence
2006 Artist in Residency Project / Curtin University of Technology AUSTRALIA
2001 International Art Residency / City of Melville AUSTRALIA