Yoko Emi "The Transparent Calligraphy"
Gallery Kitai
Until May 24Reservation Required
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Artists
Yoko Emi
Spoken words are invisible. Even when transcribed into written language, the subtle presence or nuance behind those words often eludes capture.
Visual art, by its nature, is a form of expression perceptible to the eye. Calligraphy, in its origins, began as a means of transmitting information through written characters. Yet in the hands of Yoko Emi, it becomes something far more layered and evocative.
Her series “Transparent Calligraphy” builds upon contemporary approaches that often transform written characters into visual forms derived from their semantic roots. But Emi introduces her own distinct vocabulary—an added dimension that transcends the written word.
In each work, alongside traditional ink and acrylic paint, she incorporates transparent, three-dimensional elements made from resin and other materials. These translucent components are not merely decorative—they represent the intangible aura that surrounds communication: the unspoken, often unconscious presences that accompany the act of conveying meaning.
With “Transparent Calligraphy,” Emi seeks to visualize what language alone cannot express. Her work gestures toward the ineffable—those layers of intention, emotion, and atmosphere that resist being pinned down by words or characters.
Her chosen surfaces—synthetic paper resistant to moisture, acrylic panels, aluminum, stainless steel—further her exploration. These materials reflect the viewer and their surroundings, allowing the transparent calligraphy to hover between presence and absence. In doing so, Emi expands the possibilities of language as a medium, pushing the boundaries of what communication through text and image can achieve.
Visual art, by its nature, is a form of expression perceptible to the eye. Calligraphy, in its origins, began as a means of transmitting information through written characters. Yet in the hands of Yoko Emi, it becomes something far more layered and evocative.
Her series “Transparent Calligraphy” builds upon contemporary approaches that often transform written characters into visual forms derived from their semantic roots. But Emi introduces her own distinct vocabulary—an added dimension that transcends the written word.
In each work, alongside traditional ink and acrylic paint, she incorporates transparent, three-dimensional elements made from resin and other materials. These translucent components are not merely decorative—they represent the intangible aura that surrounds communication: the unspoken, often unconscious presences that accompany the act of conveying meaning.
With “Transparent Calligraphy,” Emi seeks to visualize what language alone cannot express. Her work gestures toward the ineffable—those layers of intention, emotion, and atmosphere that resist being pinned down by words or characters.
Her chosen surfaces—synthetic paper resistant to moisture, acrylic panels, aluminum, stainless steel—further her exploration. These materials reflect the viewer and their surroundings, allowing the transparent calligraphy to hover between presence and absence. In doing so, Emi expands the possibilities of language as a medium, pushing the boundaries of what communication through text and image can achieve.
Schedule Now in session | Apr 19 (Sat) 2025-May 24 (Sat) 2025 29 days left Reservation RequiredOpening Hours Information
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| Fee | Free | ||||
| Website | https://kitai.gallery/news/news-2201/ | ||||
| Venue | Gallery Kitai http://www.kitaikikaku.co.jp/gallery | ||||
| Location | 202 Akasaka8 Bldg., 8-8-10 Akasaka, Minato-ku, Tokyo 107-0052 | ||||
| Access | 6 minute walk from exit 1 at Nogizaka Station on the Chiyoda line, 10 minute walk from Aoyama-itchome Station on the Ginza and Hanzomon lines or Toei Oedo line. | ||||
| Phone | 03-5843-1537 | ||||
| Related images | Click on the image to enlarge it  |
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