Rakuko Naito | Rhythms of White by Maya Frodeman Gallery

R AKUKO NAITO

01 APRIL — 08 MAY 2022

RAKUKO NAITO R hy thms of White

TAYLOE PIGGOTT GALLERY

RN718-1/2-3-1/2-18 Zig-zag Fan Stripe, 2018 Paper, 17 x 17 x 3 1/2 inches

RN1317-3-3/8-14 Random Mosaic, 2014 Paper, 17 x 17 x 3 3/8 inches

RN2317-3-1/2-18 Small Ring with Burnt Edge, 2018 Paper, 17 x 17 x 2 1/2 inches

RN917-3-1/2-18 Checker Board Triangle, 2018 Paper, 17 x 17 x 3 1/2 inches

RN1217-3-3/8-14 Irregular Strips, 2014 Paper, 17 x 17 x 3 3/8 inches

RN1017-1/4-3-1/2-14 Wave, 2014 Paper, 17 1/4 x 17 1/4 x 3 1/2 inches

RN1317-3-1/2-18 Open Top Cubes, 2018 Paper, 17 x 17 x 3 1/2 inches

RN418-1/2-3-1/2-'18 - Double Ring, 2018 Paper, 18 1/2 x 18 1/2 x 3 1/2 inches

RN218-1/2-3-1/2-'18 - Open Top Cube, 2018 Paper, 18 1/2 x 18 1/2 x 3 1/2 inches

RN1723-1/2-2-1/2-20 - Fan, 2020 Paper, 23 1/2 x 23 1/2 x 2 1/2 inches

RN1923-2-1/2-20 - Folded with Burnt Edge, 2020 Paper, 23 x 23 x 2 1/2 inches

RN1823-2-1/2-20 - Checker Board Pillars, 2020 Paper, 23 x 23 x 2 1/2 inches

RN124-1-1/2-16 Zig-zag Circle, 2016 Paper, 24 x 24 x 2 1/2 inches

RN1424-3-1/2-19 - Fine Thin Strips, 2020 Paper, 24 x 24 x 3 1/2 inches

RN1224-2-1/2-20 - Ripple, 2020 Paper, 24 x 24 x 2 1/2 inches

RN1024-2-1/2-20 - Knots, 2020 Paper, 24 x 24 x 2 1/2 inches

RN224-3 1/2-17 Diamond Checker, 2017 Paper, 24 x 24 x 3 1/2 inches

RN1330-31⁄2-20 Wave, 2020 Paper, 30 x 30 x 3 ½ inches

RN1630-31⁄2-20 Plaits, 2020 Paper, 30 x 30 x 3 ½ inches

RN1230-3-1/2-18 Soft Tall Rings, 2018 Paper, 30 x 30 x 3 1/2 inches 34

RN230-3-1/2-21 Stacked Paper Checkerboard, 2021 Paper, 30 x 30 x 3 1/2 inches

RN630-3-1/2-21 Gig-zag Checkerboard, 2021 Paper, 30 x 30 x 3 1/2 inches 36

RN930-3-1/2-21 Small Triangles, 2021 Paper, 30 x 30 x 3 1/2 inches

RN536-31⁄2-21 Burnt Edge Curls, 2021 Paper, 36 x 36 x 3 ½ inches

RN2236-31⁄2-16 Soft Cube Checker Board, 2016 Paper, 36 x 36 x 3 ½ inches

RN136-31⁄2-21 Folded Burnt Edge, 2021 Paper, 36 x 36 x 3 ½ inches

RN1036-31⁄2-19 Small Open Top Cubes, 2019 Paper, 36 x 36 x 3 ½ inches

RN248-31⁄2-19 Double Ring w/ Burnt Edge, 2019 Paper, 48 x 24 x 3½ inches

RN2248-31⁄2-18 Soft Rings, 2018 Paper, 48 x 24 x 3 ½ inches

RNcube13-99 Wire Mesh with Paper Cube, 1999 Wire Mesh with Paper Cube 8 x 8 x 8 inches

RNcube2-99 Wire Mesh with Paper Cube, 1999 Wire Mesh with Paper Cube 8 x 8 x 8 inches

RNcube1-08 Wire Mesh with Paper Cube, 2008 Wire Mesh with Paper Cube 8 x 8 x 8 inches

RHY THMS OF WHITE

T h e c e l e b r a t i o n o f R h y t h m s o f W h i t e , h e r s o l o e x h i b i t i o n a t Ta y l o e P i g g o t t G a l l e r y , will not mark Rakuko Naito’s first visit to Wyoming. She and her husband, ar tist Ta d a a k i K u w a y a m a , w e r e h e r e i n 19 5 8 , e n r o u t e f r o m To k y o t o N e w Yo r k , w h e r e they have lived and worked for over six t y years . A friend of Rakuko’s had a daughter living on a ranch ain Wyoming, and recommended a visit. So, after set ting foot for the first time in the United States in Los Angeles , she and Ta d a a k i b o a r d e d a G r e y h o u n d b u s a n d t r a v e l e d t o B u f f a l o , W y o m i n g f o r a w e e k on a cattle ranch.

R a k u k o N a i t o : I t w a s r e a l l y q u i te a l a r g e r a n c h . E v e r y m o r n i n g w e h a d b r e a k f a s t w i t h the cowboys. It was a really nice experience. I think we stayed about one week. Then w e to o k a n o t h e r b u s , a n d i t w a s m a y b e t h r e e d a y s b e f o r e w e a r r i v e d i n N e w Yo r k . We r e a l l y l o v e d W y o m i n g . I t h o u g h t , w h e n w i l l w e e v e r h a v e a n o c c a s i o n to v i s i t h e r e a g a i n? A n d n o w, y e a r s l a te r, d e c a d e s l a te r, h e r e w e a r e !

Naito’s work , rhy thmic folds of rice paper sculptures designed to hang on the wall, reside somewhere bet ween our notion of “drawing” and “sculpture.” This exhibition presents a large selection of work from the ar tist ’s oeuvre which has n e v e r b e e n s h o w n t o g e t h e r. E a c h w o r k i n v e s t i g a t e s t h e p r o p e r t i e s o f d i f fe r e n t k i n d s o f J a p a n e s e r i c e p a p e r, w i t h d i f f e r e n t s h a p e s a n d f o r m s r e p e a t e d i n

dif ferent sized squares. The ef fect, both in each singular work and the exhibition a l t o g e t h e r, i s m e s m e r i z i n g . I n o n e w o r k , t h o u s a n d s o f t i n y f o l d s c r e a t e a c i r c u l a r “ g i g -z a g ” c h e c ke r b o a r d p a t t e r n , i n a n o t h e r, a s e a o f p e r f e c t l y f o r m e d f a n s c r e a t e s a veritable ocean of white. Overall, rhy thms form in the folds and undulations of r i c e p a p e r. W i t h o u t m a k i n g a s o u n d , t h e m o n o c h r o m a t i c a s s e m b l a g e s o f w h i t e , cream, and taupe draw the viewer ’s eye in and out in a harmonic, meditative s y mphony.

Naito’s career has spanned many methods and materials, all with the same evident dedication to organization and inventiveness. Beginning as an optical ar t painter in the early sixties, she created works that emphasized flatness and downplayed the ar tist ’s hand. With close friend Sam Francis, she explored acr ylics, spray paint, and masking tape, eventually focusing her st yle on the delic ate , monochromatic pa p er a s s emblage s that she wor k s in to day. Ul timatel y living the lives of avant- garde ar tist s in lower Manhat tan, Naito chuckles , s ay in g , “ We di d n ot d o s o c o n s c i o u s l y, b u t I gu e s s w e di d! ” Sh e c o nt inu e s t h eir fascinating stor y:

R N : We w e n t to u n i v e r s i t y i n To k y o . Ta d a a k i w a s t w o y e a r s a b o v e m e . T h i s w a s a v e r y o l d , t r a d i t i o n a l n i h o n g a a r t s t u d y p r o g r a m , e s p e c i a l l y m y d e p a r t m e n t— v e r y t r a d i t i o n a l , v e r y m a s te r- a n d - s t u d e n t r e l a t i o n s h i p . We w e r e n o t f o l l o w i n g e v e r y o n e e l s e ; w e w e r e l i ke t h e b l a c k s h e e p . I t w a s c o m p l e te l y d e v o i d o f f r e e d o m . T h a t w a s w h y w e b o t h f e l t w e h a d to g e t o u t— i t w a s t h e e n v i r o n m e n t . S o w e d e c i d e d to g o to N e w Yo r k .

" I fe el n atur a l for m s a nd tex ture s h ave a re a li t y t h at c a nnot b e c omplete d by t r y ing to p a int or dr aw n by h a nd . I t r y to ex p er iment a nd m a nipulate m ater ia l s to cre ate my ow n wor ld .”

We happened to k now the leading Japane se painter at the time , Kenzo Okada . A n d w e s e t t l e d i n N e w Yo r k i n K e n z o ’ s s t u d i o , b e c a u s e h e w a s i n To k y o a t t h e time . A nd we found a lof t to rent [in Greenwich V illage] before he returned home . We h a d to g o to s c h o o l in o r d er to ex ten d o ur v i s a to s t ay in t hi s c o unt r y, s o w e at tended A r tis t Student s League . It wa s not a par ticularly s tudious school. We learned a lot. But I realized later that ever yone applied was allowed in! (laughs)

We made a lot of friends there . We got to k now Sam Fr ancis . He helped us a lot . H e fo un d u s o ur f ir s t l of t- s t u di o in Ch el s e a . A n d w e li ve d t h er e fo r— I d o n’ t k n ow how many year s . It wa s too small for Sam , but per fec t for us . We were there for 20 or 30 years. It was just around the corner from where we are now. Those d a y s , C h e l s e a w a s n o t l i k e n o w… F i r s t , e v e r y o n e l i v e d i n G r e e n w i c h V i l l a g e . Then Greenwich felt too small, and people star ted moving to Chelsea . Then S o h o , Tr i b e c a , a n d I d o n ’ t k n o w w h e r e i t i s n o w , B r o o k l y n …? W e m o v e d h e r e [ t o o u r p r e s e n t l o f t ] i n 19 7 6 .

O n e d ay, o n e of o ur f r i en d s b r o u ght over I v a n K a r p , t h e dir e c to r of C a s telli G a l l e r y . H e l i k e d Ta d a a k i ’ s w o r k v e r y m u c h . A n d h e s a i d , n e x t M o n d a y , I w i l l bring the Museum of Modern Ar t , The Metropolitan Museum, Smithsonian… He always talked ver y big, so I didn’t know what to think… but he actually came back w i t h a ll t h e s e p e o p l e . T h o s e d ay s , o n M o n d ay, w h en t h e g a ll er y w a s c l o s e d a n d the museum was closed, the museum curators visited young ar tists in a group. A t t h a t t i m e , R i c h a r d B e l l a m y , w h o o p e n e d t h e G r e e n G a l l e r y , l i k e d Ta d a a k i ’ s

w o r k v e r y m u c h . T h a t ’ s h o w Ta d a a k i g o t s t a r t e d . A n d t h e n a f e w y e a r s l a t e r , o n e collec tor bought my work and showed it to World House , another big galler y in N e w Yo r k o n M a d i s o n A v e n u e . A n d t h e y g a v e m e m y f i r s t s o l o e x h i b i t i o n .

M y f i r s t r e a l s h o w w a s a c t u a l l y g r o u p s h o w , i n To r o n t o , a n d I s h o w e d w i t h C a r m e n H e r r e r a . T h e n t h e a r t w o r l d w a s m u c h s m a l l e r, a n d I g u e s s w e h a d m o r e communication with other ar tists back then. I was always the youngest in my dif ferent groups of ar tist friends. Now I must be the oldest (laughs). But I was a l way s the younge s t . Some of them didn’ t a l way s t a ke me s er iousl y.

With a natural af finit y for order and structure, Naito joins a circle of ar tists s u c h a s M e l B o c h n e r, E v e H e s s e , a n d S o l L eW i t t . N a i t o ’s r e p e t i t i o n o f a c t i o n s , decisions, and manipulated forms combined with her avoidance of narrative is t h e b a s i s fo r h e r i n v e s t i g a t i o n s o f r i c e p a p e r. N a i t o h a s s a i d , “ I fe e l n a t u r a l forms and tex tures have a realit y that cannot be completed by tr ying to paint or drawn by hand. I tr y to experiment and manipulate materials to create my own world.”

R N : I am get ting busier as I get older! I think that ’s a good thing.

N a i t o ’ s f i r s t s o l o e x h i b i t i o n w a s a t t h e W o r l d H o u s e G a l l e r y , N e w Yo r k , i n 19 6 5 . S i n c e t h e n , s h e h a s e x h i b i t e d a l l o v e r t h e w o r l d , i n c l u d i n g m a n y g r o u p ex h ib i t i o n s , s u c h a s t h e M i e s -Va n - d e r- R o h e H a u s , “ W h i te B ox ,” B e r lin , G e r m a ny,

2 0 19 ; M o n o c r o m o s : d e M a l e v i c h a l p r e s e n t e , M u s e o N a c i o n a l C e n t r o d e A r t e Reina Sofía , 20 04; the International Women A r tis t s' Biennale , Incheon , Korea 2 0 0 9 ; O p t i c N e r v e : P e r c e p t u a l A r t o f t h e 19 6 0 s , C o l u m b u s M u s e u m o f A r t , C o l u m b u s , O h i o 2 0 0 7 ; O p t i c a l E d g e , P r a t t M a n h a t t a n G a l l e r y , N e w Yo r k , 2 0 0 7 ; A M o m e n t B e c o m e s E t e r n i t y , B e r g e n M u s e u m , N e w J e r s e y ,19 9 3 ; To k y o I n t e r n a t i o n a l B i e n n a l e ( 19 74 ) ; B l a c k & W h i t e , W a d s w o r t h A t h e n e u m M u s e u m o f A r t , H a r t f o r d , C o n n e c t i c u t ( 19 6 6 ) ; a n d M o t i o n a n d M o v e m e n t , C o n t e m p o r a r y A r t C e n t e r , C i n c i n n a t i , O h i o ( 19 6 4 ) .

B o r n i n To k y o , J a p a n , N a i t o s t u d i e d a t t h e To k y o N a t i o n a l U n i v e r s i t y o f A r t . A f t e r h e r g r a d u a t i o n , i n 19 5 8 , s h e m o v e d t o N e w Yo r k w i t h a r t i s t a n d h u s b a n d , Ta d a a k i Kuwayama , where she has lived and worked ever since. Featured throughout the United States , Europe and Japan, Naito’s work is represented in numerous galleries and public collections including the Kemper Ar t Collection (Chicago), Miami-Dade Communit y College (Miami), The Larr y Aldrich Museum (Ridgefield, CT ), the Roland Gibson Ar t Foundation (SUNY Potsdam) and the Davis Museum and Cultur al C enter at Welle sley C ollege , Ma s s achuset t s . She wa s an ar tis t in residence at the Josef and Anni Albers Foundation in 2003. Naito held a solo e x h i b i t i o n a t t h e K a r u i z a w a N e w A r t M u s e u m ( K a r u i z a w a , J a p a n ) i n 2 0 16 a n d w a s i n c l u d e d i n a g r o u p e x h i b i t i o n a t B l u m & P o e ( To k y o ) i n 2 0 17 .

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