The many faces of Jasmine Fulford

I’ve been watching my daughter Jasmine evolve as an artist for a long time, and so—at the risk of sounding like a typical doting father—you can take it from me that her first solo exhibition is an important milestone in her development.

Her art prompts reflection on themes such as continuity, disruption, selection, rejection, risk and management—matters that are relevant to all of us in everyday working life.

First, take a look at the face above, and then the faces below (for readers of Japanese, you will also find details of the exhibition by clicking through).

You'll find that every one of the many faces you encounter at the exhibition combines innocence and artlessness with confidence and craft.

When you walk into the entrance space, the first things you will see are an array of suspended black-and-white faces and a plate of little sculpted heads. If you look carefully, you’ll find my own head (or two) among them.

The heads date back to Jasmine’s graduation show at Central Saint Martins in London. The faces came a year or so later, but both the faces and the heads reflect an unwavering interest in certain key themes: self, other, perception, preconception, and an ambiguous identity that emerges from the interaction of all these factors. But above all, Jasmine is intrigued by people, and the space between us.

After you enter the main exhibition space, and your attention is being subtly drawn from one display surface to the next, you may find that the art starts to function as a catalyst for self-appraisal, and that you have become your own exhibit—in the presence of many watchful eyes.

This could be a valuable opportunity, as the Japanese title of the exhibition suggests, to engage with someone who is not distant and not close. Are you ready to look at yourself? Are you open to being seen by yourself?

As I helped Jasmine set up yesterday, I found myself thinking that I’d like to take a closer look at some of the final plume of pictures rising elusively to the rafters. As usual, Jasmine’s art was easier for me to pin to the wall than to pin down.

What every viewer of the art can see, at a distance and also up close, is determined partly by controlled technique, and partly by Jasmine’s willingness to allow natural powers to interact with her materials and work as a partner in the creative process.

You could visit this exhibition and think you’ve seen it all in a few minutes. But if you do go, give the art a chance to start working on you. At first you may find yourself thinking of different people the faces remind you of, or maybe you’ll start naming them. But as your attention becomes more deeply engaged, you may find it helpful to consider some of the following ideas: attribution and attributes, naivete and sophistication, Japanese and British. And last but not least: value.

If you go with a friend, you might like to find a face that appeals to each of you. What do your choices tell you about each other, and the way you see art?

I very much hope you will take this opportunity to enjoy the many faces of Jasmine’s art.

Open weekends only October 21 (Sunday), then Oct 26, 27, 28 (Friday-Sunday) and Nov 2, 3, 4 (Friday-Sunday)

Hours 12:00-18:00

Place East Factory Art Gallery, 1-11-6 Higashi-Kasai, Edogawa-ku, Tokyo

Map https://bit.ly/2q4qILg