Light Metal: A Solo Exhibition by Metalwork Artist Miya Ando

New York-based metalwork artist Miya Ando debuts her brand new work through her first solo exhibition in Hong Kong.

By Chris Ong

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Miya Ando, Spring (haru) grid, 2013, dye, pigment, lacquer, resin on aluminum plate, 9 pieces, 12 x 12 inches each

A descendant of Bizen sword makers, Miya Ando was raised among Buddhist priests in a temple in Okayama, Japan, before moving to California and then to Brooklyn, New York where she is currently based. Unlike other artists who use fabric canvas and inks to express themselves, Ando relies on steel and aluminum sheets as her canvas and a combination of traditional and industrial techniques to produce her art pieces.

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Miya Ando, Akari Light 5-40 AM, 2013, hand-dyed anodized aluminum, 24 x 24 inches

Her solo exhibition Light Metal showcases a series of hand-painted industrial dyes in a palette of colors onto anodized aluminum sheets done by the artist. The industrial process of anodizing in which sapphire crystals are electroplated to the metal – allows the dye to bond to metal, creating vivid gradients on the aluminum sheets.

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Miya Ando, Ephemeral Vermillion Yellow, 2013, dye, pigment, lacquer, resin on aluminum plate, 36 x 36 inches

The resulting patterns are reminiscent of horizons and landscapes, juxtaposed against the medium of the work. This paradoxical pairing is intentional and puts Ando at one with her heritage. It’s also an exploration into the dichotomy and impermanence of the natural and man-made world.

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The Miya Ando Light Metal exhibition is held at Sundaram Tagore Gallery, 57-59 Hollywood Road, Central, Hong Kong, from now till March 22nd 2014.

Images courtesy of Sundaram Tagore Gallery