"SACHIKO AKIYAMA: THINGS UNSEEN"
Danforth Museum of Art
123 Union Avenue
Framingham, Massachusetts
November 14, 2010 - February 6, 2011
by Meredith Cutler (for Artscope Magazine)
Article excerpt:
Tucked into the rear gallery of the Danforth Museum, Boston-area sculptor Sachiko Akiyama's solo show, "Things Unseen," is subtly previewed by a simple, basswood bust planted in the farthest corner of the main hallway. Blink, and you might miss it as you wander in search of the exhibit. A self-portrait, "Reverie" invites the sharp-eyed visitor to pause and contemplate with the artist/subject, who gazes with a relaxed countenance toward an indistinct point.
It’s this in-between space, the focal point of the inward gaze, that pervades Akiyama’s work. Drawing from a controlled lexicon of dreams, memories and Japanese fairytales, Akiyama’s robust polychrome woodcarvings present familiar imagery with a deliberate evasiveness, leaving the viewer to construct his own meaning. In each sculpture, Akiyama casts herself or close family members as subjects, paired with simple iconography that hints at the wisdom and mystery of the natural world.
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Image: Sachiko Akyiama, "Shared Departures", 2008, polychromed wood.
