AYA RODRIGUEZ-IZUMI
Artist Statement
Ritual, in its myriad and varied forms, is a central element to my work. I’m interested in how common everyday activities and objects can take on a ritualistic significance. I approach this theme by calling on personal experiences from my Cuban/Puerto Rican and Okinawan heritage. These ideas are explored through a range of media– installation, performance, sculpture, painting, video and beyond are all utilized depending on the project’s needs. My work often exists in unusual and hard to use spaces: an old pharmaceutical factory, a warehouse historically used to manufacture doors and an underused section of a public city park have all served as backdrops for my work. I aim to create a transformative environment and experience for the viewer. By inviting viewers in through one-on-one interactive performances, or offering a prompt whereby they are the sole performers, participants play a vital role in the work. Their experience, in effect, becomes the true piece.