Sayako Dairiki: Inner Landscapes

Sayako Dairiki: Inner Landscapes

Jan. 8-Feb. 27, 2016; Reception: Jan. 8, 6-9 PM

Based in Winters, artist Sayako Dairiki has brought her work to various forums across California. Her public art—consisting of both mosaics and sculptures—can be found throughout the San Francisco Bay area and Sacramento region. This winter, her extensive collection of paintings will be featured from January 8 to February 27, 2016 in a solo exhibit at the Pence Gallery titled Inner Landscapes. Dairiki expresses visions from her subconscious through her art. Her captivating paintings delve deep into the mind and transverse various layers of symbolism.

Dairiki’s recent work includes paintings in scale from the very large to the miniature. While this latest collection of paintings is smaller in scale than her sculptural work, the pieces still have a powerful impact. The miniatures in particular are packed with layered symbolism and a range of interpretations. Their imagery has been condensed so that every etching, brushstroke, and splotch of color can be appreciated for its greater meaning. Dairiki’s use of bold blue and shimmering gold pigments reference her inspiration from medieval art and her Japanese heritage. The keyhole shape that appears in her work also relates to ancient Japanese architecture, as well as the more basic concept of unveiling private spaces.

Dairiki reveals secrets of an ethereal realm that resides in the world of dreams in her collection of inner landscapes. Simultaneously, the paintings take inspiration from the flora and fauna of the physical world, particularly from the rural landscape where Dairiki resides. The result is a new perspective on landscape, both internal and external.

A Conversation with the Artist

Sunday, Jan. 17, 3-4 PM

Enjoy a talk with Sayako Dairiki and Pence curator Natalie Nelson as they delve into the artist’s use of symbols, connection to nature, and impact of the 2015 fire on her work.