NATSUKI TAKAUJI
STATEMENT
I work with various methods and materials. My core interest is to explore what lies between different qualities. Therefore my work often bridges them, by recognizing tension, mutuality, rejection, or connection.
The search stretches to my creative processes. In some works, I focus on personal narratives and visions, and in my other works, research takes a significant role. And through my public artwork, I engage with the public by giving interactive experiences and often throwing questions about apperception. I try to practice across various intents, not only subjects, materials, and schemes. My ultimate artistic interest is to achieve a quality beyond a set style.
The current state of the world with the pandemic has deepened the desire to examine the pre-existing values. So I started to explore the idea of our beliefs, which I always had concerned growing up; why we believe what we believe, how psychology and designs are related, and how our story-like beliefs are affecting everything we do.
BIOGRAPHY
NATSUKI TAKAUJI was born in Tokyo, Japan, and moved to NYC in 2008 to discover herself as an artist after receiving a B.A. in Creative Writing from Waseda University. Her mother was also a writer, however, she realized her strong desire to explore tactile and visual expression. She studied Fine Art at the historical art school, The Art Students League of New York, where she found her American life and the beginning of her artistic career: in 2013, she was selected to the Model to Monument Program to create her first public installation “Window” at Riverside Park South, which was an over 18-foot colorful interactive sculpture with a functional swing, inspired by her mixed-media wire sculpture series. Since then, she is actively involved in the NYC public art scene as an exhibitor and curator/organizer. In 2021, she became co-director of the program. She is also an instructor of metal sculpture at the League. She also co-founded The Artist Gardener NYC to activate green spaces in the local communities.
Natsuki has developed her interdisciplinary practice in diversity such as kinetic, intricate, mixed-media or metal sculpture, AI or video multimedia art, drawing, painting, art book, socially engaged art, public art, and more. Her work is often inspired by her life experience and observation in Japan and as an immigrant in NYC, exploring the idea of our beliefs and lives, which she had questioned growing up in a particular yet ordinary environment.
She has exhibited internationally and mainly in New York: recently at SPRING/BREAK Art Show, Japan Society, Brooklyn Botanic Garden, The City College of New York, LaGuardia Airport, NY, Seoul World Art Expo, Korea, Kameyama Art Triennial, Japan, Oeno Gallery, Canada, and Venice Biennale, Italy.