Artist: Kiyomi Fukui

Artist: Kiyomi Fukui and Amanda Katz
Exhibition: Tea at 3307
Media: Tea mat (gampi paper stained with tea)
Gallery: 3307 W Washington Blvd
Website: http://www.kiyomifukui.com/
Instagram: kiyomimiz

Kiyomi Fukui received an MFA in Printmaking from California State University Long Beach and a BFA in Graphic Design from La Sierra University. The majority of Fukui’s work is print based, she also enjoys creating fiber based work through crotchet and tatting. Kiyomi strives to uncover and explore the ephemeral and vulnerable qualities of the human experience. Due to this her work is often constructed of transitory materials.

Tea at 3307 is about its participants having vulnerable conversations as well as their collection of literature. What makes this different is that each participant makes their own tea balls that leave a unique mark on the table. They are able to put down their tea directly onto the table, which depending on the tea leaves a mark of the color of the ingredient. The artist and curator Fukui begins the project by speaking of her literature to then transitioning and encouraging the others to speak about their vulnerabilities.

The result is a symbol of the conversation that was being held. As the Guests had control over the tea stain being left. More so, as a conversation requires more than one person to participate the results is a accumulation of everyone’s role. These stains also represent each participants willingness to be vulnerable and be of support to others vulnerabilities. Visually, the table looks like tie dye pattern and water colors. The patterns are unpredictable with non linear shapes.

Kiyomi Fukui’s project is refreshing and brave attempt at encouraging conversations that almost never happen. As people we become very well at covering our emotions, so for the artist Fukui to be able to have people be comfortable sharing. Also, the use of the table is a great idea because it shows that the conversation was had without being to invasive of its participants. Overall, I think it is great way to talk about what is difficult for people to share and should be done more often.