In conversation with Makiko Harris about the physical process of making work and using a daily expereince of ambiguity as influence.
Makiko Harris is a multidiscplinary artist from San Francisco working accross painting, sculpture and installation, exploring themes of gender, identity and structures of power.
Having studied a BA in Philosophy and Art at Tufts Universoty, Boston, Makiko's work is highly informed by feminist theory and per personal experiences as a biracial woman. Throughout her practice, she challenges viewers to thhink criticallly about their roles and societal power dynamics.
We're incredibly proud to have sixteen paintings by Makiko currently in our catalogue, which utilise bold, gestural brishstrokes and evocative marks. The use of colour within these works is influenced by research into the concept of the 'monstrous-feminine'. For example, vermillion red in Japan is the colour of scared temples, as well as the lipstick worn by geisha. However, the same colour was orginally created with toxic mecury in the west. The 'gem' polygon shaoe is also a frequent recurrence within Makiko's practice, both within her 'Gem Series' in our Artiq catalogue and her recent installation 'Glass Ceiling'. These shapes explore the fragmentation and reconfiguration of identity, appearing in numerous different colour, variations, materials and forms.
Read more: https://artiq.co/article/in-conversation-with-makiko-harris/