* All images used with permission. Please do not distribute without first contacting the artist.
Kumi Yamashita was born in Japan and lives in New York City. She received an MFA from Glasglow School of Art in the UK in 1999.
Her work is mostly constructed from everyday objects: building blocks, thread, nails, credit card rubbings, lights. The aim of her process is to explore art beyond the confines of traditional media, and turn ordinary objects into arresting images. Even a simple sheet of paper, if carefully arranged and lit, can create an endless variety of profiles, says Yamashita.
Her work has been exhibited at Seattle Art Museum, Boise Art Museum, Yerba Buena Centre, San Francisco, Esplanade in Singapore, Hillside Gallery in Tokyo and the Kent Gallery in New York, among others.
"To use a medium to produce a piece, that won't physically make a mark, is something I'm still trying to get my head around. Kumi Yamashita's work uses light shown onto unassuming object to cast shadows of realistic figures. How scattering random household objects can form such perfect silhouettes is beyond me. Well done Kumi. Well done."
"A young talent, doing something unique and special. Someone to watch, someone to learn from and someone I've been an admirer of for some time."
"She transforms normal sceneries ands sights in something different, working in a soft way, I would say that Kumi Yamashita works with shadows. Her works make me think to a great book, “The Book of Shadow” by Junichiro Tanizaki in the attention she had in the balance of real light and real shadows."
"Art for me is about describing the unknown, the unquantifiable, defining something beyond our understanding. Kumi walks this line exceptionally well and explores the area between matter and space with such an ingenious and sensitive approach."
"I am simply blown away by each and every piece by this artist. The unique approach, innovative use of materials and potential for exhibition/installation is endless. It says something when you want to see more and more work by the same artist and find each piece surprising, related and innovative over and over again. If I were a museum curator, she would be on my short list. I wonder how much her credit card portraits run?"
