Oil on canvas

162×130cm. 63 3/4 × 51 1/8 in.

Signed in Japanese and dated on the reverse
PROVENANCE
29 Nov 2009, K-Auction Korea Asian Auction Week in Hong Kong, Lot 188
Important Private Collection, Asia

Poetry to the Young and Beautiful
A Signature Work of Art by Rokkaku Ayako

In 2006, the only 24-year-old artist Rokkaku Ayako won the Goto Akio Prize in the 9th GEISAI held by the famous artist Takashi Murakami. In the same year, the Gallery Delaive in Netherland, with its spectacular prospect, got the international dealership of this neonatal artist and had brought her artwork to the global stage ever since, including Art Basel in both Switzerland and Miami. From then on, Ayako has held personal exhibitions in Tokyo, Amsterdam, Hong kong and Los Angeles. Her artworks are also collected by Gunma Museum of Art in Japan and Museum Voorlinden in Netherland. In recent years, she has been gaining attention by collectors and has become a high-profile “star of tomorrow” in the Japanese contemporary art world.

Shattering the burden of strict traditional education, Ayako, only with short-term training of illustration, possesses gifted insights and sensation. The free-styled hand stroking and girly spirit are the significant characteristics of this artist. In her works, the main characters are always young girls, with either fantastic dream worlds, hopes for the future, or anger, fear and persistent faith. In the up-coming exhibition, her important work Thinking Girl is brought for your view, which was done in the same year that the artist won GEISAI (2006). Not only does this work became a signature work when she started to enter the international artworld and became famous , but it also was self-portrait of this 24-year-old young artist who holds an unlimited future in her hand.

The Focus on Afar: A Self Portrait of Life

“When seeing Ayako's artwork after so many years, I couldn't hold my tears… … Thinking back when meeting Ayako in GEISAI, when seeing her work then, I knew that my efforts would not be in vain.”
—— Takashi Murakami

On the dark brown background, the side face of a young girl come to the sight. Her eyes, bright and round, resemble the aesthetical style of traditional Japanese anime. Nose pointing up, with one hand holding her face, she is staring at afar, sinking into thoughts with a deep concern that is uncommon for her age. Her brunette hair is tied up in a ponytail by a white band as fluffy as cotton, emphasizing the signature Japanese style of “Kawaii beauty”. The pink, colourfully bright blouse and the hair accessories make her face vivid and lively. Her face is young and she looks forward to the unknown. As the artist once said: “There are two themes in my portraits – “escaping and searching”, “ expecting and focusing”.” This work of art represents the latter one. Additionally, of all the 25 works of Ayako that have shown on auctions, this is the only one that portrays a side face, which undoubtfully adds its value of rareness.

Sailing with Colours: Temperature and dance movement of fingers

When working on her art, Ayako often uses her fingers instead of brushes to paint, composing a completely free style, reminding the audience the features of Gutai school. In Thinking Girl, the hands that support the girl's chin are full of paint, just like what the artist experiences when creating her art works. The texture of the colour is vividly shown on the canvas, giving away the hints of how the artist wanders back and forth in front of her work when unleashing her creativity, making every effort to fill up the imaginary space with ever-changing colour tones, the dancing performance of her fingers and the thorough trail of her initial design.

In Thinking Girl, what the main character looks forward to is the glory in the future, embracing the endless potential that cannot yet be defined. It is the re-consideration of what is yet to happen that defines what we are enjoying this moment – it lights up the sparkle of the fantasy of childhood and brightens the heart of you and me.

Price estimate:
HKD: 1,200,000 – 2,000,000
USD: 154,700 – 257,900

Auction Result:
HKD: 2,006,000