Kaori SOUTOME

(b. 1981, Tochigi prefecture, Japan)

Kaori’s themes are primarily inspired from the traditional Japanese four seasons, in which she inserts plants and insects – with butterflies notably having frequent appearances. The perfect garden of her imagination bursts with colourful flowers, not to mention plants and insects, thus enabling her to watch dramatic changes throughout the four seasons of the year, coming around full circle time and time again.

A close study of her pieces reveals a Japanese painting technique known as Nihonga, which was learned during conservation studies. This incorporates mineral pigment, gold leaf and silk, resulting in a subtly glimmering quality that compliments the imagined settings.

Kaori says:
“I would like the aesthetic quality of my paintings to combine the traditional techniques of Japanese painting with a presence of modern life.”

Kaori has widely and successfully exhibited at solo and group exhibition at department stores across in Japan since 2007, including Nihonbashi Mitsukoshi, Seibu Ikebukuro, Shibuya Tokyu, Shinjuku Isetan, Tobu Ikebukuro and others.