Tomoko Shioyasu

SPREADING

2009
cut on synthetic paper
29 1/2 x 21 1/2 inches

To form her delicate works, Osaka-born Tomoko Shioyasu carefully cuts into sheets of paper using a utility knife or soldering iron. Often asymmetrical, the patterns of marks recall cellular or crystalline structures that spread across the composition. Shioyasu finds her inspiration in nature, illustrating wind, flowers, and natural forces in her panels, and her use of negative space within the cut paper allows light to penetrate the piece. In some instances, her enormous cut paper works hang from ceilings within the gallery. Shioyasu’s work has been exhibited throughout Japan.