Eri Itoi
Particulars
8 - 24 September 2006

David Risley Gallery is proud to present the 1st solo exhibition of Japanese artist Eri Itoi.

Itoi recently graduated from Edinburgh School of Art. She makes delicate, intricate drawings of young women, wearing their feelings and emotions in much the same way as the Saints in icon paintings display their attributes (Saint Sebastian's arrow, St John the Evangelist's eagle). Similarly to depictions of the Saints these portraits are not about creating a likeness (nobody knew what they looked like) they are about portraying a mood, a sense of the character.

She states, 'My drawings are like the outside of me; they are barely visible, quiet, diminutive, trying to hide, de-saturated, intense, exact, precise, miniscule. Through my drawings I am trying to accept myself. The people in my drawings, ('Particulars') are complex people. They are trying to live their life so hard. They hate how they are and how they look, and are always too aware of what people think about them. They are always deep in thought, thinking about how other people feel and act (but are often mistaken because they use their imagination too much). They have an inferiority complex, always feel gloomy and fear being part of society.

They enjoy dressing up, are very particular about dress, especially headpieces.

Her wall paintings are less singular, more chaotic. Made up of wax crayon, pencil and paint, they deploy a variety of mark making and graphic techniques. Japanese script weaves throughout the surreal, abstracted landscape. Oversized cats float on clouds and giant hands grasp at the sky from mountains.