"LA☆Fumiko Imano," an exhibition by photography-focused artist Fumiko Imano, will be held from October 19th to November 30th at Gallery KOSAKU KANECHIKA, located in the Tennozu art complex in Tokyo.

LA☆Fumiko Imano, 2015
©2019 fumiko imano Photo by Keizo Kioku Courtesy of KOSAKU KANECHIKA

Fumiko Imano's signature work is a series of photomontages in which she cuts and pastes self-portraits taken with a 35mm camera to create the motif of twins. While the images are innocent, nostalgic, and humorous, reminiscent of family photos, they bring a smile to your face. The lines created by cutting and connecting with scissors clearly convey their fictional nature. In an age where computers can meticulously synthesize images, these photomontages are deliberately created simply by hand, suggesting the artist's calm and yet enjoyable appreciation of the fiction. This technique stems from Imano's constant awareness of her identity. She spent her years in Rio de Janeiro from age two to eight, studying and working in London in her early twenties. After returning to Japan, she experienced difficulties due to the cultural gap. The twin motif emerged as a "magic-like" medium that energized her and allowed her to immerse herself. The playfulness of the twin series, which sustained her, is effortlessly conveyed to viewers.

LA☆Fumiko Imano, 2015
©2019 fumiko imano Courtesy of KOSAKU KANECHIKA
"LA☆Fumiko Imano" features 27 works from the series published in the 2015 photo book of the same name. The exhibition documents the twins' journey through LA, transforming nature, animals, and iconic LA elements into original landscapes.

Imano has also been highly praised for her work in fashion collaborations, including appearing in the LOEWE lookbook for the brand's Spring/Summer 2018 collection. This will be her first solo exhibition at the gallery.