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Hiroko Momii
| 1998 | MFA | California State University, Long Beach | | 1970 | BA | Kobe City University of Foreign Language, Japan |
“Spirituality is the purpose of art” - Wassily Kandinsky
My work expresses my feelings of close affinity with nature and indigenous cultures, which are inherently spiritual. I communicate awe, beauty and sublime aspects of life. The act of painting allows me to experience this expanded state of being.
The concept of an interconnected oneness in the universe fascinates me. I am interested in exploring this idea by weaving energy patterns in my recent works. Interweaving rich, expressive lines is a meditative act for me. That process in conjunction with my obsession for creating vibration through a combination of colors on my canvas is at the heart of my visual language.
I weave different energy patterns into one.
I weave colors to create vibrations.
I weave movements.
I weave the past, present and future.
I weave to express womanhood, for traditionally weaving has been woman's work.
My hope is that my paintings trigger reactions in each viewer's mind on many levels.
Hiroko Momii was born in Japan and grew up in the traditional Japanese value system where a woman's happiness and place is in her marriage and children. However, she did not feel comfortable taking on this role.
Momii came to the United States in 1979 not yet recognizing her deep desire to become an artist. She got a job at a fine art silkscreen studio in 1980 and finally knew she wanted to make art the first time she pulled a squeegee to make a print.
In 1991, she quit her job and dedicated herself to becoming a painter. She entered the MFA program in painting and drawing at California State University, Long Beach in 1994. During her studies there, she found a way to express her inner feelings and visions through an abstract style. Since then she has shown her artworks in both solo and group exhibitions at numerous galleries in Santa Fe and Los Angeles, as well as in Japan.
Momii was influenced by Wassily Kandinsky’s statement, “Spirituality is the purpose of art.” Her growth as an artist has run parallel to the development of her spiritual path. She feels fortunate to have become an artist and find a way to express herself while simultaneously deepening her spirituality. The art process has become a life process in itself.
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