The decorative references to other decorative arts in my work are not for the sake of challenge; This is to express my thoughts as a good artist. “
But compared to Hirst and Koons, Kremlin’s work seems a bit out of place, a bit embarrassing for a generation accustomed to justifying all its flourishes, ornaments and technical sympathies to the enforcers of Minimalism and Deconstruction. One of the key differences between her decorations and Hirst’s diamond-encrusted skulls and Koons’ porcelain Michael Jacksons is her altruism, lack of cynicism and self-reference that make the aforementioned works so iconic.
In her artist statement, she admits that her style and the decorative traditions she draws from evoke a sense of ennui but also “leave us with a sense of tranquility and a sense of ourselves that could almost be described as religious.”
Although her work seems to teeter on the edge of commenting on the decorativeism it employs, Aoki doesn’t really embrace artistic narratives about art. She seems too surprised by the potential of her medium and the richness of art history to be that jaded.
For example, when I pointed out that some of the styles she cited—particularly the Rococo—had been criticized as frivolous, banal, and soulless, even though she used it to evoke a sense of spirituality, she commented: “To define it as frivolous, kitschy, and superficial is, in my opinion, itself a superficial understanding of the art that represents our contemporary times.”
Praising her altruism is her skill. She used a variety of methods of working with porcelain, a notoriously unforgiving material. By throwing, trimming, building, casting and sliding drag, she ultimately pulls out an object that only an expert’s understanding of the entire process can produce.
When I asked her why she was determined to challenge the boundaries between fine arts, decorative arts and crafts, she responded: “Actually, I want to know why some people still cling to these boundaries. I don’t understand the point.”
to distinguish them. The decorative references to other decorative arts in my work are not for the sake of challenge; This is to express my thoughts as a good artist. “
Without this pathos, she wouldn’t be able to create the art she does. It’s not easy for a cynic to make something so beautiful. Only someone who is passionate about what she is doing and believes in its rightness could put so much attention into making a sculpture as strong as it is.
In Aoki, people return to older, less abstract modes of thinking, in which craftsmanship is a given and there are no overthinking boundaries between material and spiritual. Her work suggests that it’s time for the art world to shed its cynicism and distaste for idealism and metaphysics and apply some classic concepts to our newer, ironic and uncertain perspectives.
“For myself,” Aoki explains, “classical styles and craftsmanship are relatively fresh and charming. Intuitively, I feel that they contain elements that express the current era very well.” *
This article first appeared in Issue 21 of High Fructose, which is now sold out. Subscribe to High Fructose now and get our latest issue in your subscription.
