綱島 礼子 Reiko Tsunashima

F / Tokyo

Reiko Tsunashima creates abstract works using sumi ink on paper. Her primary subjects are natural landscapes and inner landscapes, which she collectively refers to as Scene of Sumi. Central to Tsunashima's practice is a deep respect for the inherent qualities of her materials and a deliberate effort to minimize artificial manipulation or theatrical effects. Sumi ink, water, and paper are all natural materials whose behavior changes subtly according to temperature, humidity, the condition of the paper, and other environmental factors. Rather than being created solely through the artist's intention, each work emerges through the active participation of both the materials and the surrounding environment. Instead of attempting to control these natural transformations, Tsunashima embraces them as essential elements of the creative process. She describes her practice as a "collaboration with nature." The spreading and bleeding of the ink as she moves the brush are not simply accidental effects, but phenomena that arise through the interaction of the materials, the environment, and the artist's gestures. The transformation continues even during the drying process. As the ink slowly settles into the paper, it produces subtle gradations of tone and richly layered textures. Throughout this process, Tsunashima discovers landscapes that gradually reveal themselves and ultimately crystallize into a finished work. Each piece therefore contains a unique landscape that could only have existed at that particular moment, inviting viewers to perceive mountains, clouds, water, mist, or other scenes suggested by the ink. In contrast to these naturally occurring processes, the cutting and placement of the paper mats are carefully designed by the artist. The balance between what is entrusted to nature and what is precisely composed gives rise to an expression that is both restrained and profoundly spatial. Tsunashima's works function like windows into her Scene of Sumi. Looking through these windows, viewers are invited to enter the quiet world of ink, where their own memories and perceptions resonate with the landscapes unfolding before them.