Atsuko Mu Yuma

I am a Japanese artist born in Japan who has been living in New York for 40 years. I graduated from Musashino Art College (degree in design) in Japan, though I continued my education self-taught while in New York.

Throughout my life I have been a painter/performance artist and mother. 
I have been painting continuously for decades, both acrylic and oil.

When I had a solo exhibition at the Ithea Gallery (NYC) in 2003, I chose the path of a professional painter and have done group and solo exhibitions throughout NYC, China and Japan.

Today, we are living in a Global Age. It can be beneficial, but we are losing a few very important things, such as sense of a national identity, and the beauty of nature on earth.

My recent work is called "Ancient Future", an amalgam of ancient and traditional materials within a contemporary/soft sculpture context.

Throughout my art, I try to provide a road back to our origins" jyoumon". From the oldest primitive times, we lived originally with and within nature. I'd like to remind people through my creations how important and powerful nature is.

I work with natural materials such as a flowers, leafs, branches, rice plant and manila ropes. Rope is my destiny! they are so strong and primitive, I'd like to use them as an installation called the "New period of Jyomon" (Japanese ancient culture), through which I'd incorporate manila rope to create a pattern on the wall and floor. Rice plants also changed my life. They are so mysterious and beautiful.

I am using a manila, hand-dyed cloth rope for frame.

Additionally, my Ancient Future works incorporate old Japanese kimono cloth (to create mysterious patterns) which I hand-dyed, along with natural materials described above.

Most of my works are based on the harmonic waves of love and nature.

Title: Voice of Nature 1
Medium: Oil on Canvas with Manila, Cloth Rope and Rice Plant Frame
Size: 27" x 32"

Title: Voice of Nature 2
Medium: Oil on Canvas with Manila Rope and Branches Frame
Size: 40" x 46"

Title: Mystical Nature A
Medium: Oil on Canvas with Manila, Cloth Rope and Rice Plant Frame
Size: 41" x 46"