MEDEL GALLERY SHU will host Midori Miki’s solo exhibition “Existence—The Ephemeral Nature of ‘Kawaii’ and Eternal Love” from September 13 to September 25.

Midori Miki, an artist who graduated from the Master’s Program in Oil Painting at Tokyo University of the Arts Graduate School of Fine Arts in 2014 presents her works as a GIFT to the audience and hopes to bring happiness to people through her art. Her work is a byproduct of her way of living. Initially, she was obsessed with expressing her own sense of “kawaii” (cute), but over time, her work has evolved into something that can also belong to others.

I love cute things. When I say “cute things,” I refer to elements that have a pink hue in their color, a form that is generally soft yet has a rhythm of tension and relaxation, and a texture that has a glossy sheen like honey. While these criteria are somewhat subjective, for me, cupcakes, cherries, Meiji chocolate bars, and strawberry popcorn are the epitome of these combined elements. However, my aim is not just to paint these “cute things.” I depict these foods in both their fresh, ideal visual state and their less ideal states on the same canvas using various expressive methods, portraying both the surface-level “cute” and what results from it. Specifically, I depict the visual changes such as decay or collapse of these cute items and juxtapose them with inorganic items like jewelry and ribbons, or intertwine them. Even as “kawaii” loses its original appearance, it evokes various thoughts, emotions, and memories such as ephemerality and attachment, leading people to realize that the essence of “kawaii” is “happiness.” This theme ties into concepts of “love” and “eternity,” which are inseparable from “happiness.” In my installation works, I have created large quantities of fake cute items in pristine condition and used them to explore “kawaii” in various locations, situations, and display methods. Although large amounts of chocolate bars and popcorn might evoke whimsical fairy tales, they can also produce an oddity in real space that cannot simply be described as cute. Therefore, through various interactions and encounters with these items, “kawaii” can emerge as a situation or phenomenon, transcending a mere descriptor for specific objects. In this context, “kawaii” can be considered the ultimate concept of “bliss,” surpassing “wonderful” and “happiness.” Through my works, people will touch upon “happiness” as a broader aesthetic value, and the “love” and “eternity” that lie beyond it.

Even though it is ephemeral, change can be beautiful. This is because there are thoughts, emotions, and memories that exist even if they are invisible. A “cute” cherry will wither and shrink over time, much like a person’s life. Ephemerality intensifies feelings like “preciousness,” and from the interaction of two opposing phenomena, people can sense “happiness.” By arranging cherries in different states, I imbue them with thoughts and memories beyond surface-level “cute,” approaching “happiness” as the essence of “kawaii” and the “love” and “eternity” that extend from it. The existence of the universe is universal yet difficult to grasp. Countless shining stars may or may not exist, and their preciousness cannot be separated from “love” and “eternity.”

Midori Miki

Since 2024, Midori Miki’s works have been permanently exhibited at Park Hotel Tokyo. Her scope of activity continues to expand, bringing GIFTs to many people.