HIROMI FUKIKOSHI RC

It is a great pleasure to present, in the run-up to Christmas, this unusual, witty and colourful show of work by Japanese artist Hiromi Fukikoshi RC. The two-dimensional works, the ceramic sculpture and the vessels and dishes inscribed with words are initially disquieting but the disquiet is resolved with humour.

"This is a show about the little moments of doubt that creep in when something upsets the normal rhythm of life. The wind blows the wrong way and suddenly out of nowhere we feel disconnected from ourselves, everything looks strange and we’re totally lost. I try to describe these moments with warmth and humour in my work so people can see that we all struggle with the same things. Maybe this feeling of togetherness can bring back some sense of balance (or at least make someone smile for a moment)."

Hiromi Fukikoshi RC was born in Japan. She studied at Central St Martins School of Art (2004, BA Fine Art) and at the Scuola Politecnica di Milano (2009, MA Product Design).

Since 2021 she has shown in group shows in London, including the Royal Academy Summer Exhibition and the South London Gallery. In the early years of the millennium she showed in group shows in Spain, Switzerland and Italy. The reaction to her Smiley Banana in North House Gallery’s 25th Anniversary Summer Show this year prompted the proposal of a solo show.

"The look of a banana is humorous - it’s undeniable. The word “banana” is also fun! So if a banana can be smiley - that’s a triumph. It makes you a bit smiley too. Then when you look at ordinary bananas, you see them smiling. That’s how we bear life and why I make art (probably)."

A selection of etchings from the last show, TWO ETCHERS, Tim Southall (Danse Macabre and Other Dramas) and Alan Turnbull (In the Studio), will also be on show in the print room until 21 December.