Return to innocence

“It has taken me a lifetime to draw like a child,” Picasso once said; highlighting the difficulty that many artists face when trying to channel the inner child in their art. In contrast, artist Shinjuko (literally ‘pearl child’) seemingly faces no such challenge in her work. Drawing on inspiration from painters as varied as Yumeji Takehisa and Takahashi Macoto, she is as colourful and as innocent an artist as you will ever find.

This is Shinjuko’s second exhibition of the year and her biggest exhibition to date. There are fifty-odd, mostly untitled pieces on show, the majority of which were painted this year. The display in the front window of the Parabolica-bis gallery is our first glimpse into her world. Alongside a vinyl copy of Gwen Stefani’s ‘Love. Angel. Music. Baby’ (Shinjuko’s most high-profile art collaboration) thirteen miniature, armless, schoolgirls stand to attention, welcoming visitors inside.

Much fun seems to have been had setting up the exhibition space. Soft, girly mannequins flash their underwear above you from their marquee-sized skirts; pink steps are dotted with curious paper mache models; and a giant ribbon hangs centre stage, pride of place. It’s a world that would be easy to be cynical about, if it wasn’t so awkwardly charming.

Pieces like the ‘Girl sitting with her book’ series are simple, joyous moments from the artist’s girlish wonderland. Only one picture really explores a dark theme. If you asked a child who didn’t quite understand what death was, to paint about it then they might come up with something like the strangely poignant ‘Funeral’. In her more elaborate and complicated compositions though you can see characters appear and reappear in different guises. Fairy tale-like stories exist (as in ‘I saw the ribbon girls kissing’), but it’s entirely up to the viewer to thread the segments together.

One question Shinjuko repeatedly gets is “Why only girls?” It’s something she is somewhat at a loss to explain. “Because I’m a girl myself, it’s only natural,” is her best answer. If everything in her world comes to her as naturally as it seems, then the best way to appreciate her art would be not to analyse deeply, but just enjoy.

Shinjuko’s “Onee-san wa ribon-kyo” runs until August 3. For more information see the Parabolica-bis gallery website.