GALLERY KOGURE is pleased to present a solo exhibition by sculptor Erika Kobayashi in VINYL TAPE (Kyoto). Bath time is supposed to be a moment of renewal, a time to feel clean and refreshed in the pristine white porcelain of the bathroom. However, reality often falls short. The spongey bath mat leaves uncomfortable imprints on the soles of our feet, and despite our best cleaning efforts, the grime never fully disappears. We leave the bathroom feeling unsatisfied, uneasy about the hidden dirt in the grout and other small crevices, telling ourselves everything is clean but never quite believing it.

Water spaces—bathrooms, pools, or oceans—are familiar to everyone, especially with the recent rise in interest in ‘Liminal Spaces.’ We are drawn to the ideal beauty of these spaces, but when we come into direct contact with them, they feel unclean, spreading an unsettling sensation. While this discomfort is part of everyday life unless we’re in a sterile room, the gap between ideal and reality can sometimes cause deep unease.

In this exhibition, Kobayashi creates a ‘taxidermy’ of the bathroom, using tiles, mats, and soap. She attempts to fill every gap with soap, a symbol of cleanliness, to bring the space closer to an ideal state and achieve a sense of comfort. However, the soap itself becomes contaminated, blending with the dirt of reality and amplifying the discomfort.

Just as taxidermy stitches together animal skins to recreate a lifelike form, Kobayashi uses bathroom elements to create an artificial replica. Her work portrays a bath time that is both buoyant with excitement and filled with an underlying sense of obsessive anxiety—a taxidermy of an imperfect bathroom. Like taxidermy preserves a version of life, Kobayashi’s work caricatures the conflict between the ideal and real worlds. We invite you to experience this unique exploration of space.

CV
1994 Born in Tokyo
2017 Graduated from Musashino Art University, Department of Sculpture
2019 Completed Master’s Program in Sculpture, Tokyo University of the Arts, Graduate School of Fine Arts

Solo Exhibitions:
2017 “Cell of Anxiety,” Entrance Gallery, Tokyo University of the Arts Sculpture Building (Tokyo)
2019 “ambiguous,” galerieH (Tokyo)
2020 “The looming,” galerieH (Tokyo)
2021 “THE SLIMY ROOM,” galerieH (Tokyo)
2022 “POOL SICKNESS,” galerieH (Tokyo)

Group Exhibitions:
2015 “Hayabayashi Bamboo Exhibition,” Senju Art Village (Tokyo)
2016 “Deviation Exhibition,” Musashino Art University (Tokyo)
2016 “Ground Art,” Musashi Kokubunji Park (Tokyo)
2017 “Exhibition of Outstanding Works,” Musashino Art University (Tokyo)
2017 “Nobeoka Tokai Saruku Artist in Residence 2017,” Nobeoka City (Miyazaki)
2017 “Wait, You Can Print with Stone…?” Entrance Gallery, Tokyo University of the Arts Sculpture Building (Tokyo)
2017 “STEELERS,” Tennoz Central Tower (Tokyo)
2022 “Eyes of the Wind,” obscura (Georgia)

Art Festivals:
2021 Yanbaru Art Festival (Okinawa)

Art Fairs:
2023 ART FAIR ASIA FUKUOKA (Fukuoka)

Awards:
2017 Musashino Art University Graduation Project Excellence Award
2017 Finalist, Art Meets Architecture Competition
2019 Finalist, Art Meets Architecture Competition

Artist Official Instagram