Madrigal

Mitsu Ikemura lives in Victoria, BC. His studio is at Honeymoon Bay, one and a half hours outside of Victoria, where he has been working on site specific installations. His works overflow with sensitivity, detailed texture, rhythm, plays of colour and light. One may see in this his cultural background, growing up in Japan to the sounds of his mother playing classical piano. Also evident is his training as an architect and urban designer, with his mastery of colour hues and overarching structural sense of tension and compression.

Madrigal consists of two separate but related hanging sculptures. Each is crafted out of a combination of media including fibreglass, silk, and metal leaf. The sail-like structures of this kinetic sculpture capture air currents and dance in the light. It expresses dynamism and is evocative of travel and a desire to wander. Described by the artist as a “mindscape”, the sculpture reflects an ongoing journey or quest. His personal exploration brought him to an inner landscape which at the same time is universal and timeless. It is also inspired by the artist’s study of physical movement, as he explored modern dance, flamenco, and Argentine tango in Buenos Aires.