Kawato Aya creates unique grid forms on a theme of control and lack thereof, that is, deviation. The term “deviation” as used here has its origins in the textile dyeing studied by the artist at university, and refers to the distortions that unavoidably occur when undertaking delicate handwork. This in turn is linked to the neuroscience that forms another of Kawatoʼs interests, in particular the optical illusions that arise from sensate “deviations” in the form of discrepancies between vision and cognition. Just as one might spin thread and weave cloth, Kawato meticulously overlays countless painted colored lines on one another. The resulting grids with their distortions and imperfections have an unmistakably handcrafted warmth that sets them apart from the cold, sterile-looking Op Art (abstract paintings and sculptures triggering powerful optical illusions) of post-war America.
 
This exhibition will see Kawato unfold through the entire gallery space a grid creation with the contrasting textures of hand drawing and digital print. Resonating with the three-sided space of The Triangle, a grid pattern formed by vertical and diagonal lines will surround the spectator, exploring in its endless, oscillating weave an unknown dimension beyond our cognition or control, that shifts tantalizingly according to the viewing angle and distance.

The Triangle
The Triangle is a space newly created for the reopening of the Kyoto City KYOCERA Museum of Art. It aims to nurture emerging artists, especially those associated with Kyoto, and to provide opportunities for museum visitors to experience contemporary art. In order to connect the artist, museum, and viewer in a triangle and deepen those connections, the space hosts an eponymous series of special exhibitions and presents new artistic expression from Kyoto.