James Harris show sounds like a must-see. To me, Akio Takamori is a superstar. Such a distinctive style, but always fresh, never quite stuck getting repetitive or self-derivative. I'm usually a bit shocked or disturbed or amused by his works. Sometimes they're somewhere between creepy and cute.
Confession though. As someone who only knows so many artists strictly from seeing their work in museums and galleries, I always assumed Akio Takamori was a woman. Never occurred to me otherwise.
I hate these sculptures. Not because they aren't good but they give me the creeps. There's two in the Computer Science building at UW. One of them is a little girl sitting on a ledge and I swear her eyes follow you as you walk down the hall.
My wife was Akio's classmate at the Kansas City Art Institute in the mid-1970s. We were honored to host an exhibition of his prints and sculptures in Kansas City in 2013. Akio and Vicky are a great team and I loved reading about his latest show in Seattle. Thanks to the writer, Jen Graves. - Mo Dickens, Gallery Assistant, Belger Arts Center
Confession though. As someone who only knows so many artists strictly from seeing their work in museums and galleries, I always assumed Akio Takamori was a woman. Never occurred to me otherwise.