megumi ishibashi, megumi ohguri

during my visit at the cité in paris i got to know two artists from japan, both named megumi.

at first glance megumi ishibashi's sculptures reminded me of niki de saint-phalles' but probably my european perspective might be the reason for this. unlike in japan we - or maybe better: i - don't know too many sculptors working in such a colorful/comic-related way. megumi ishibashi's work has a very positive attitude, her works in public space brighten up the area e.g. abandoned playgrounds, hospitals or landscapes spoilt by concrete. she loves the colors of the rainbow. her favorite medium is some traditional plastic-like material which is made from a japanase tree - unfortunately i can't remember what it's called.



megumi ohguri's photography is both very surrealistic and poetic. it's all analog and mostly black and white but very experimental. ghosts, shadows and colorly reduced overpaintings serve as her means of expression but she also uses projections in a black box to combine two photos. megumi ohguri has made a beautiful book called 'a make believe diary' combining her photographic work with self-written poems.