Past Residents Aoi Yoshizawa
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Aoi Yoshizawa, Photo by Lotta Djupsund
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Aoi Yoshizawa, Woven artworks for the COMMON THREAD exhibition, 2019. Photo by Kastehelmi Korpijaakko
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Aoi Yoshizawa, I fucking moved on (installation view), 2020. Photo by Kastehelmi Korpijaakko
Aoi Yoshizawa is a Japanese artist who lives and works in Helsinki. With a background in textile making and designing, she engages in the experimental processes that apply traditional craft techniques to the creation of contemporary woven textiles. Material and technical explorations are an essential part of her creative practice. Her artworks are driven by repetitive and time-consuming actions, as well as social aspects of the hand-weaving technique.
She also works with a form of installations and performances based on her life experiences. As a part of Harakka Collective, she has created a series of performances viewed online and live on Harakka island in Helsinki.
Yoshizawa graduated from Aalto University in 2015 (MA) and Bergen National Academy of Arts in 2011 (BFA).
During my stay at the HIAP residency, I have been working on the project I AM A WEAVER by continuing my artistic practice of exploring hand-woven techniques. I will especially focus on technical experimentations by hand-building looms and various weaving tools.
In the past residency season I also worked on the project SPELLS with Petra Vehviläinen in the landscape of Suomenlinna, where we created a weaving installation.
Besides weaving projects, I participate in an ongoing musical collaboration with Petra Vehviläinen and Marika Maijala for our archipelago band, Velvet Ass.
Aoi Yoshizawa’s residency is part of the HIAP Residency Programme for Finnish and Finland-based artists and art professionals.