REVIEW: Ayumi Adachi Transforms Coffee Shop Interior Into an Astounding Venue
What Do We Think?
By Martina M E Manalo
5 October 2022
I first saw Ayumi Adachi’s work at V54 in early 2020 and remembered being in awe seeing it then (I still am). Unfortunately, however, it was the beginning of the dark days (COVID-19), in which the artist’s work didn’t quite get the attention it deserved due to the government’s anti-epidemic restrictions. But now, with things slowly easing up in Hong Kong, it was lovely to see not just the work, but also the very pleasing response from the crowd at last Sunday’s opening at TGIF.
Greeted by a little teaser of the artworks seen through the clear glass doors of TGIF— ‘Line’ (2022) crumpled and suspended from the ceiling without any use of adhesive, but the paper itself moves flowingly all the way around and to the back part of the coffee shop. The Japanese Hong Kong-based artist’s technique is undoubtably great, but it would be nothing without a powerful concept. Myself, being a sucker for science and science fiction and particularly anything that has something to do with time, find her concept brilliant and a great admiration to the execution of work.
The meticulously hand-drawn black lines on each sheet is a symbol of Ksana1 and all enlightenment that happen in the space of a Ksana that evades our conscious mind. As the Ksana lines are twisted, and connected all together, the artist incorporates the understanding of time and circulation of life as introduced by ancient Buddhist beliefs. Also seen at TGIF is a collection of paper work which was inspired by German biologist and influential evolutionary scientist, Ernst Haeckel’s illustration or a fallen leaf found on a hike. Back in the 19th century where photography didn’t exist yet, Haeckel recorded his research by illustrating what he saw in his miscroscope. As Ayumi Adachi takes inspiration from it, her creation process involves moisturising the paper sheets, usually with rain drops and as water sinks into the paper, it brings out the colourful pigments that are buried deep under the greyish surface, that enhances the saturated pink and magenta, and a pacifying shade of teal and blue.
Ayumi Adachi is much more than an artist; she’s a visionary polymath who continues to bring life to pieces of work that are conceptualised from both science and religious beliefs, without trying too hard or making it too complicated visually and mentally—her work’s finished product is always minimal but majestic.
Perfectly, the Japanese artist’s work contemporaneously with TGIF’s space and design philosophy, while also wonderfully curated by Wangsim. If you are looking for both inspiration, and great coffee or food, or just wanting to turn any day into a Friday, you know where to go!
Ayumi Adachi’s work will be on view at TGIF through 7 November 2022.
How to get to TGIF:
Shek Tong Tsui, shop 4－6, G/F, Wo Fat Building, 539 Queen's Road West
Know more about the artist:
To know more about Wangsim, and for contemporary and modern art advisory:
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Ksana-a Sanskrit word indicating shorter-than-a-finger-snap unit of time