Oil on canvas

53 × 45.5 cm. 20 7/8 × 17 7/8 in.

Signed in English and dated on the reverse
EXHIBITED
15 – 17 Jul 2022, Art Taichung 2022, The booth of Soka Art, Taichung

PROVENANCE
Soka Art, Taipei
Acquired directly by present private Asian collector from the above

The World of the Elves in the Far North, a Dreamy Fairy Tale Passed Down Through the Ages
The Gentle and Spiritual Life of Kiriko Iida's Painting

“The theme of my paintings are to convey the beauty of simple happenings and the powerfulness of life.”
——Kiriko Iida

Born in Hokkaido in 1970, Kiriko Iida graduated from Hokkaido Design School in 1991. One side, she was influenced by the Japanese belief that “everything has a spirit”, on the other side she also got inspired by the unique atmosphere of her hometown in the quiet and silent winter, creating quiet and remote paintings that touch the heart. She was twice selected for Shell Art Awards in 2003 and 2004, and has held solo exhibitions in Tokyo, Nagoya and Taipei since 2006. In this spring auction, we present two of her representative works and invite visitors to enjoy Iida's tribute to nature.

Dancing with the Wolves Between the Wild Earth and Sky

In 2020, Kiriko Iida presented her solo exhibition Frozen Soil in Taipei, showcasing her inspiration from the snow and ice of her homeland, which is either cold and beautiful or warm and lovely. Dance with Me (Lot 9) is a particularly eye-catching, surreal and romantic large-format representative of the exhibition.

In this work, Iida recreates the romantic snowy landscape of Hokkaido in winter, with a grey-blue sky filled with soft white clouds and the dark forests of the mountains covered in snow, and the branches and surface texture of the vegetation on the thick snow-covered plains outlined in delicate brushstrokes. On the right side, the girl in the red dress and the grey wolf are seen dancing in oblivion, the artist's delicate brushstrokes of leaden grey and white revealing the grey wolf's delicate fur. Its front feet stand up and rest on the girl's hands, and the wolf's mouth is slightly raised to reveal its canine teeth, like a messenger of the gods. The beautiful girl in her red dress, like a camellia blossoming in the snow, smiles as she gently dances with the grey wolf. In the foreground, the snowflakes fall in white, creating a stage with sky and earth, adding a pure and tranquil atmosphere to the work and highlighting the passionate emotions of the protagonist.

Naughty and Playful Mushroom Elf in the World

Kiriko Iida's elf children figures can be traced back to the legendary “Little People under the Winter Leaves” of Hokkaido, in which they are shy and hide in a secret forest. The artist imagines the little elves appearing before humans are aware of them, and thus In Your Boots (Lot 8) is born.

The main subject of the painting is a black boot in which five tiny mushroom elves with fleshy cheeks, small round noses and big clear eyes appear. They look like they have discovered a new land: the red mushroom elf uses his shoelace as a climbing rope and is eager to ascend; the yellow and brown mushroom elves marvel at his bravery. At the top of the scene, a blue bird bursts in and grabs one of the shoelaces. The orange mushroom elf rushes to stop it, while the blue and pink mushroom elves look keenly into the wind. The colourful and mischievous elves play freely with a constant stream of spring-like warmth that captivates the artist's imagination and dramatic layouts.

Price estimate:
HKD: 30,000 - 50,000
USD: 3,800 – 6,400

Auction Result:
HKD: 74,400