Mixed media collage sculpture

23.7 × 17.1 × 3.2 cm. 9 3/8 × 6 3/4 × 1 1/4 in

Signed in Japanese and dated on the reverse
EXHIBITED
21 Oct – 19 Nov 2017, Ramblings' Habitat, Gallery Trax, Yamanashi

PROVENANCE
Gallery Trax, Yamanashi
19 Jul 2019, Mallet Tokyo Summer Auction, Lot 227
Acquired directly by present Asian collector from the above

The Stirrings of Youth
Rokkaku Ayako's Treasure Box

Born in Japan in 1982, Rokkaku Ayako only really entered the field of art at the age of 20. Without formal training, she is a self-taught artist who has developed an intuitive graffiti style that stands out from the mainstream through her innate sensitivity, insightful observation and love of Japanese anime culture. In 2004, she was awarded the “Scout Prize” at the Geisai Festival, organized by Takashi Murakami to encourage new artists to create and present their work on the stage. Two years later she was awarded the “Akio Goto Prize” at the same festival, recognizing her artistic talent. She has held solo exhibitions in Amsterdam, Hong Kong and Los Angeles, and her works have been collected by the Gunma Museum of Art, Tatebayashi, and the Museum Voorlinden in the Netherlands. In recent years, her works have been so popular worldwide and she kept breaking new records in sales, making her one of the most anticipated stars of the Japanese contemporary art.

Rokkaku is influenced by Arte Pover from Italy, which uses everyday materials to create works, and aims to break away from the boundaries of “fine art”. His GUTAI-like improvisation and Superflat style are reflected in the work “Box #13” for this auction.

The work reveals a strong sense of intimacy, seemingly unstructured, but ingenious and unique, like a “treasure box” in childhood, echoing the viewer's innermost feelings with softness and innocence. On the colorful drawing board with image of two iconic little girls, she made a special three-dimensional box filled with peach and green colored fur balls, various flowers and fruits made of clay like candies, shiny ribbons, and treasured fabrics, as if they call out to us. They are like the sparkles of our childhood memories. The jumping colors are like the real life fragments of childhood, melting the viewer's heart little by little.

Rokkaku once said, “I try my best to go back to my childhood state of mind and the original intention to paint. Everyone had the experience of drawing and painting without thinking when they were little.” Perhaps “innocence” is her secret to touch the viewers. In the flowing colors and the déjà vu scenarios, she awakens people's original aspiration and those inexplicable and unforgettable stirrings of youth and memories.

Price estimate:
HKD: 50,000 - 80,000
USD: 6,400 - 10,300

Auction Result:
HKD: 168,000