Mariko Mori facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Mariko Mori
森 万里子 |
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Mariko Mori at the Japan Society Panel on Art & Nature on 2010
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| Born |
森 万里子
February 21, 1967 Tokyo, Japan
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| Nationality | Japanese |
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| Known for | Photography, Digital art, Sculpture |
| Movement | Contemporary Art, Pop Art, Environmental Art |
Mariko Mori (born in 1967) is a Japanese artist who works in many different art forms. She is famous for her photos and videos where she imagines herself as a futuristic character. These characters often include traditional Japanese designs. Her art often explores ideas about technology, spirituality, and going beyond normal limits.
In 2010, she started the Faou Foundation. This is a non-profit art group based in New York City.
Contents
Early Life and Art School
Mariko Mori was born in Tokyo, Japan, in 1967. She grew up in a well-off family. Her father was an inventor, and her mother studied European art history.
In the late 1980s, while studying fashion in Tokyo, Mori worked as a fashion model. In 1989, she moved to London to study art. She attended the Byam Shaw School of Art and then the Chelsea College of Art and Design, finishing in 1992. After that, she moved to New York City. There, she joined a special art program at the Whitney Museum of American Art.
Mariko Mori's Art Career
Mori's early artwork often used ideas from Japanese culture and ancient history. But she always added futuristic themes and characters. Her early photos were greatly influenced by cosplay, which is dressing up as characters.
She created videos and photos featuring fantastic gods, robots, alien creatures, and spaceships. Mori herself would dress up in costumes she made for these characters. Throughout her career, she has been fascinated by technology and spirituality. She sees technology as a way to change and expand our minds.
In her early works, like the photograph Play with Me (1994), Mori used herself as the main subject. She dressed up as a futuristic alien character in everyday scenes. Even though her art looked futuristic, the female characters she played often had traditional roles. For example, she was a waitress in Tea Ceremony (1995). She also played a futuristic version of the Buddhist goddess Kichijoten in Pure Land (1996-1998).
Mori says her interest in consciousness and death came from a scary experience. In her early twenties, she had sleep paralysis for several hours. This made her unsure if she was alive or dead.
Mori often combines Eastern myths with Western culture in her art. She does this by layering photos and digital images. An example is her 1995 artwork Birth of a Star. Later works, like Nirvana, show her as a goddess. In these, she moves beyond her earlier roles using technology and images. She also shifts from realistic city scenes to more alien landscapes.
At the 47th Venice Biennale art show in 1997, Mori displayed two works. One was a photo collage called Empty Dream (1995). The other was a 3-D video artwork called Nirvana (1997).
Mori's art is part of many public museum collections. These include the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA), and the Museum of Contemporary Art, Chicago.
Personal Life
Mariko Mori is married to composer Ken Ikeda. They have worked together on many projects. Ikeda often creates music or sounds for Mori's art pieces.
Notable Artworks
Play with Me (1994)
In this artwork, Mori stood outside a toy store in Tokyo. She was dressed as a cyborg, with light blue hair, a metallic blue top, silver gloves, and a dress. She looked like the toys sold inside the store, but people walking by seemed to ignore her. This piece explored different ways of creating identity.
Subway (1994)
Mori stood in a Tokyo subway car dressed as if she had just arrived from outer space. She wore a silver metallic costume with a headset and microphone. This artwork, like Play with Me, was about exploring different identities.
Empty Dream (1995)
For Empty Dream, Mori changed a photo of a real public swimming pool. She added herself to the scene multiple times, dressed in a blue plastic mermaid costume. This artwork touches on ideas about technology and how humans might be created through biotechnology. This piece was shown at the 47th Venice Biennale in 1997.
Oneness (2003)
Oneness was first shown in New York in 2003. It includes a group of six alien sculptures made from a soft, skin-like material. These sculptures hold hands in a circle. They light up when someone touches or hugs them. Oneness combines spirituality, photography, and fashion. It shows how Mori uses advanced technology to create mystical and UFO-like designs.
Part of Oneness is also the Wave-UFO. This is a large, 6,000 kg dome. Inside, visitors can see projected paintings that were made with computer graphics and then turned into photographs. Mori developed the idea for the Wave UFO while working at the Eyebeam Art+Technology Center in New York.
Rebirth
Rebirth is an exhibition of Mori's works from several years. It was first shown in London in 2012 and then in New York City in 2013. This collection marked a big change in her art. It focused less on modern media and influences. For example, Flat Stones (2006) is a collection of ceramic rocks arranged like an ancient Japanese archaeological site. Mori also found inspiration in old Celtic practices, like stone circles. Her Transcircle 1.1 (2004) is a group of LED lit columns that change color. These works show her search for universal values shared by all people throughout history.
Faou Foundation
In 2010, Mori started a non-profit group called the Faou Foundation. The word "faou" is a new word Mori created, meaning "creative force." Mori is the founder and president of this organization.
Inspired by Buddhism and nature, the Faou Foundation's goal is to create six art installations around the world. These artworks will celebrate the natural environment of each place.
So far, the Faou Foundation has completed two of its six planned projects:
- Primal Rhythm = This artwork was first shown in 2011 on Miyako Island, Okinawa, Japan. It has two large sculptures:
* Sun Pillar: This column is 4.2 meters tall and weighs 2.9 tons. It sits on a rocky point. It reflects the colors of the sea and sky. On the winter solstice each year, its shadow stretches across the bay. * Moon Stone: This is a clear sphere that changes color with the ocean tides. On the winter solstice every year, the shadow of the Sun Pillar reaches the Moon Stone. Mori says this is "a ceremonial emblem of eternal rebirth for all living things."
- Ring: One with Nature = This artwork was first shown in August 2016. It is a giant acrylic ring, 3 meters wide and weighing 2 tons. It is permanently placed on top of a waterfall called "Véu da Noiva" in Brazil. The ring's color changes with the sun, from blue to gold.
Awards and Honors
- 1997 – Special mention for her work Nirvana (1997) at the Venice Biennale
- 2001 – 8th Annual Award as a "Promising Artist and Scholar in the Field of Contemporary Japanese Art" from the Japan Cultural Arts Foundation
See also
In Spanish: Mariko Mori para niños
