(Baton Rouge) – Critically acclaimed artist Kyoko Ibe, one of Japan’s most innovative paper artists, will visit the LSU School of Art next week, where she will meet with students and share her vision and creative insights.

In addition, as part of the School of Art’s Visiting Artist Lecture Series, Ibe will give a public lecture about her work on Wednesday September 3rd at 5 PM in the Design Building lecture hall, room 103, on the LSU campus. Ibe will speak about her creative work with traditional and experimental Japanese paper or “washi,” and her collaborative installations working with theater, dance and performance art.

Ibe is internationally known for creating large‐scale installations using “washi,” a traditional Japanese method of creating beautiful and durable paper dating back more than 1400 years. She became interested in the material and began constructing contemporary art objects from it at a time when the medium was used exclusively for traditional Japanese art and crafts. In her pioneering work, she has pushed the limits of washi to develop a new art form, which combines a respect for tradition with technological experimentation.

Ibe has created a number of public art and commissioned works in both the U.S. and Japan, including monumental installations that stretch from floor to ceiling. She has also received commissions to create sets and costumes for dance and theater productions, and designs products for domestic interiors, including lighting and wallpaper.
Ibe is currently in the U.S. for a show of her work at the University of Illinois. “We feel very fortunate that she is taking time out of her stay in Illinois to come visit us here at LSU,” says Leslie Koptcho, an associate professor of art who organized Ibe’s visit.