SHIMIZU Mikan

2025　MFA, Paintings field, Speciality in Culture and the Arts, Tohoku University of Art & Design

I was fascinated by the “moment you lose sight of time” hidden in the light at dusk, and created with the theme of “texture of light.” Under the evening sky, which has different colors every day, the ever-changing light blurs the interior while leaving the outline of things, and questions how to capture existence.

It focuses on the multi-layer structure of recognition from a brain science/philosophical point of view, and captures “contours” as “symbols of linguistic boundaries.” Highly transparent layers mixed with mica and polarizing pigments are layered over and over to construct a screen that changes according to viewing time and point of view due to resonance with the light in the exhibition space. This transformation of light creates a contrast between the ambiguous appearance inside the motif and the clear outline, and presents various ways of seeing hidden in one world.

■Profile

Born in Hokkaido

2025　MFA, Paintings field, Speciality in Culture and the Arts, Tohoku University of Art & Design

2022　BFA, Oil Painting in Fine Art, Tohoku University of Art & Design

■Main solo exhibitions

2025　“ Quality of Light - Twilight Beyond Time ”, WINDOW, Yamagata, Japan

2024　“ Light's Presence “, WINDOW, Yamagata, Japan

2023　“ Qualia ”, THE TOP, Yamagata, Japan

■Main Group Exhibitions

2025　“ TUAD ART-LINKS 2025 “, ORIE ART GALLERY, Tokyo

2025　“ Tohoku University of Art & Design Graduation Research & Project Exhibition 2024 - Tokyo Selection”, Tokyo Metropolitan Art Museum, Tokyo

2022　“ perché “, Surugadai Gallery, Ginza, Tokyo, Japan

2021　“ Victory Bouquet ”, Boston Children’s Museum, America

■Other major activities

2024 Exhibit “SICF25”, Spiral Hall, Tokyo

2023-24 Space Decoration Artwork “Japan Business Design Awards National Convention”, Kanda Myojin Hall, Tokyo/ Cooperation: EnoGG Co., Ltd., etc.

2023~2024 Animal Art Production/Cooperation: EnoGG Inc.

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My artwork expresses the "Quality of Light" inspired by twilight scenes.

I am often captivated by twilight scenes that . During these

moments, as diverse hues spread across the sky and light transforms continuously, vegetation seems

to dissolve into the light itself. The internal form of objects progressively becomes ambiguous,

transforming like silhouettes. What's fascinating, however, is that the outlines that remain until the

end give me a definite intuition of "that's a flower" or "that's a bird," hinting at their original

meanings. This phenomenon seems to raise questions about how humans perceive and comprehend

existence.

From the perspectives of neuroscience and philosophy, I believe humans’ perception of the world is

constructed from three elements: "qualia," "cognitive processes," and "linguistic categorisation." I have

focused on the multi-layered structure of perception, considering how these elements overlap like

"layers" to form humans’ perceived world.

In my artistic approach, I interpret "the outlines of objects" as symbols of "boundaries created by

linguistic categorisation," and use contrasts between the ambiguous texture inside motifs and the

outlines that remain in my consciousness.

For my technique, I create highly transparent layered structures by combining interference pigments,

mica, and small glass beads with acrylic medium. These compositions incorporate light reflections,

chromatic shifts, and spontaneous textures, allowing the artwork to present different appearances

depending on the viewer's perspective and changes in environmental light.

This approach reflects how humans’ perceptual world exists as various overlapping meanings

(layers), simultaneously containing contradictory impressions. Within this, what exactly are we

focusing on and discovering? Through the shifting qualities of light, I hope we can recognize and

appreciate the diverse meanings in existence around us.