Aya Rodriguez-Izumi

Artworks

‘Gate: II’, 2020Galvanized steel; aircraft cable; acrylic beads; wood; and paint11 × 16 × 7 feet

About ‘Gate: II’

A commemoration of communities that have survived imperialist military occupation, ‘Gate: II’ references the layered histories of Okinawa, Japan, which has endured a heavy United States military presence since World War II. The work combines the aesthetic of the Shinto torii, a gateway to shrines, with the chain link fences of military bases, which often co-opt the Shinto architecture in their own checkpoints. A colorful curtain of acrylic beads, assembled through artist-led community workshops, reflects the individuality of those who brought the work into existence and represents the power of peaceful unity as a confrontation to militarization.

Audio Guide

Click below to hear the artist’s audio guide:

Transcript

Sounds of cicadas cycling through increases and decreases of volume, overlaid by an International Morse Code message: -. ..- -.-. …. .. / -.. ..- / – .- -.- .- .-. .- / .-.. .. ..-. . / .. … / – …. . / – .-. . .- … ..- .-. . (which translates to Nuchi du Takara / Life is the treasure)

Programming

Rodriguez Izumi participates in a series of virtual programs produced by the 2020 Socrates Artist Fellows in tandem with the ‘Call and Response‘ exhibition:

In Conversation: Patrick Costello, Jenny Polak, & Aya Rodriguez Izumi

Instagram Takeover: Aya Rodriguez Izumi

Thank You

The artist dedicates this work to communities around the world that experience military occupation. She gives highest thanks to her mother, Noriko Rodriguez, father, Jose Rodriguez, and partner Alexander Bustamante for their constant support and guidance.

She also gives a special thank you to the beading contributors: Noriko Rodriguez; Lynnese Page; Julia Wagner; Alexander Bustamante; Sade Amour, Logan Mattocks, Janelle Richards, and Jaylen Stewart of Minor Miracles powered by Socrates Sculpture Park; Youth of City Parks Foundation’s Green Girls program; members of Mindful Astoria; members of Reality House; and Ida Lubarsky, Aaron Lubarsky, Lyam Leibaillif, Luella Lebaillif, Sara Bravo, Yailyn Bravo, Xavier Hamlin, Lucas Hamlin, Chloe Hamlin, Abigail Hogan, Cora Ellison, Devyn Ellison, Amy Ellison, Abhi Tugnait, Ahaan Tugnait, Zelda Mackel, Olympia Mackel, Iris Conoway, Fern Emswiler, Lilou Emswiler, Richard Mazanek, Renee Pappous, Eunjoo Chung, Elise Denis, Suzan Sumer, Nancy Potwinik, Nina Denis, Tessa Denis, and Jennifer of the Socrates Sculpture Park community.

Rodriguez-Izumi has the greatest appreciation to the crew and staff of the Park for their dedication and hard work and the 2020 Artist Fellows for their camaraderie. None of this would have been possible without all of you. “Ippee Nifee Deebiru”

Exhibition

‘Monuments Now’

PART I: Jeffrey Gibson, Paul Ramírez Jonas, Xaviera Simmons
PART II: ‘Call and Response‘
PART III: ‘The Next Generation‘
+ The Broadway Billboard & “Let’s Talk”

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