Sigh. This is the stunning work of Tokyo based artist Naomi Okubo. I wrote about her a little over two years ago and as you can see by these paintings, I had to write again. These are self-portraits… in plural. Yes, that’s Naomi at her own art show in the two top pieces, titled “THIS IS NOT MY LIFE #1” & “THIS IS NOT MY LIFE #2”. Here is her latest artist statement:

“… The ideas for my work come from an inferiority complex and my experiences in adolescence. As an adolescent, everyone starts to care about how other people think of their appearances. In my personal experiences, when I changed my own image, people changed their attitude toward me. They started to concern me, and our relationship became better. I also realized the power of fashion and the fear of other’s watchful eyes. I have been interested in appearances ever since … Although it seems like a personal issue, it is connected to greater problems and inconsistencies in society.”

Thanks to Period – Art by Women for bringing my attention back to Naomi’s work. Love!