Into the Heavens

DESCRIPTION

Watercolor and crayon on paper | 2023

For this collection of works, Shibuya explored ideas of nationality, race, ageism, sexism, and how people often view them as separate entities, when in reality, most people experience - directly and indirectly - as fluid and simultaneous existences. The artist wanted to bring these concepts to the forefront as a collection to show that as different as people may be, the human commonality often leads to shared experience. In her own words:

Vibrant, young,
old, decrepit,
these are all nuances,
labels that we are told,
but do not have a place to hold in its entirety because we are multifaceted human beings.
There is no one way to face a world where we are supposed to fit containers,
as if lined up at a grocery store, waiting to be feasted upon.
No, we are uniquely, individualistically, superbly, different — and beautiful.
Effervescent, illuminating, wondrous, creatures,
roaming the planet, trying to find our way, our voice, our place,
yet a wise man told me once when feeling lost, ‘Home is where you are, wherever you are, wherever you want it to be.’
We are One World.

DIMENSIONS

55 x 32.5 inches

FRAMED DIMENSIONS

Floated: 50 x 37.5 x 2 inches

AUTHENTICATION

Signed by artist.

The work comes with a Certification of Authenticity signed and numbered by the Co-Founder of Tappan