©Atsuko Yamashita, courtesy of island JAPAN co.,Ltd
Atsuko Yamashita says that when she lost her physical and emotional balance due to bullying in her early childhood, another world was born inside her mind. Since then, she has continued to depict the stories she sees and hears in that “world untouched by anyone.”
In this “another kingdom” where there is no mythology and no violence, girls, plants, and animals exist equally, blending together in quiet harmony. These scenes are rendered in oil paint on materials like washi paper or German newspapers, gazing silently back at our world.
The exhibition “eating a butterfly” marks the beginning of a new chapter where her inner stories and the real world intersect.
Butterflies have the ability to identify poisonous plants and, through carrying pollen, form a co-evolutionary partnership that contributes to the prosperity of flora. Yet, butterflies themselves fall prey to animals who cannot distinguish these toxic plants, sometimes leading to fatal misjudgments. This exhibition presents a new body of work inspired by such natural principles and the delicate balance of ecosystems.
This “another kingdom” is a form of symbolic armor that protects against the violence and absurdities of reality—an instrument of quiet resistance. It is, ultimately, a utopia: a reconstruction of a lost world and a recovery of being.
Now on view – Sunday, June 15, 2025
HARUKAITO by ISLAND
2F BLOCK HOUSE, 6-12-9 Jingumae, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo
Open: 13:00–19:00
Closed: Mon, Tue, and Wed
Admission: Free
For more details about the exhibit, visit the HARUKAITO by ISLAND website.
