Video artist Tabaimo gained widespread acclaim for her immersive hand-drawn video installations that explore undercurrents of the orderly, mundane veneer of contemporary Japanese society. Characterised by an unusual mix of surreal beauty, her drawing style recalls the spirited lines of Hokusai and Hieronymus Bosch.

 

At STPI, she expounded on its print and papermaking capabilities, building layers upon layers of still images that convey movement and depth, defying two-dimensionality. Tabaimo created a new wallpaper series using textured paper evocative of skin, insect bodies and lacerated wallpaper – an extension of her earlier work titled dolefullhouse, screened at the 52nd Venice Biennale.

 

In addition to her solo exhibitions, Tabaimo has participated in various international group shows including the Yokohama Triennale (2001), the Sao Paolo Biennale (2002), the 15th Biennale of Sydney, Australia (2006); the 52nd International Art Exhibition, La Biennale di Venezia (2007), and representing Japan at the 54th International Art Exhibition, La Biennale di Venezia (2011). Her works are part of important collections such as the National Museum of Art, Osaka; Hara Museum of Contemporary Art, Tokyo; the Israel Museum, Jerusalem; MUSAC, Spain; Fondation Cartier pour l’art contemporain, Paris; Moderna Museet, Stockholm; Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles, Asia Society Museum, New York, and the Museum of Modern Art, New York.