Tasaki hosts The Little Mermaid-themed exhibition with artist Hiroko Nakakita

By Joshua Hendren

Fans of June’s iridescent birthstone will delight in an unmissable new exhibition currently held at the New Bond Street boutique of Japanese pearl legends, Tasaki.

Running until July 11th, the Pure Radiancy exhibit is a showcase of contemporary art by Hiroko Nakakita. Born in Hyōgo Prefecture in western Japan, Nakakita cut her teeth at the Oil Painting Department of Tokyo’s University of the Arts. Today, she bases herself between Kobe and California, creating and conducting exhibits both at her own gallery, Hiroko Nakakita, in Japan and abroad.

For her latest showcase, Nakakita has used Akoya pearls, harvested at Tasaki’s farms, in various artworks. Dotted amidst displays of Tasaki jewels, each work takes inspiration from the literary tales of Danish author Hans Christian Andersen, specifically his classic story Pure Radiancy, the original iteration of the beloved fairytale The Little Mermaid that we know today.

“I depicted the nature of the human heart and the way of life based on the theme of conflicting events of ‘intentional’ and ‘unintentional’. I expressed the pure and earnest love of The Little Mermaid overlapping Tasaki’s delicate pearls and Andersen’s story,” says Nakakita, on the inspiration behind the fantastical series. “I coloured with pearls, crystals, and gold leaf on the canvas and completed two- dimensional works,” she continues. “By creating an uneven surface, the works give various expressions captured from various angles. I also created three- dimensional works – Robe and Lily Crown to invite viewers to the world of The Little Mermaid story in a more realistic way.”

Nakakita chose Tasaki pearls, she says, for their lustre that appeals like no other. “Tasaki’s pearls truly express the dignified beauty and the pure personality of The Little Mermaid,” she adds. “What makes Tasaki different from others, and what makes it timeless, is that they are not afraid of breaking away from the traditional stereotype of pearls, using pearls in very creative and unusual ways to find a new way of appreciating their beauty. As an artist, I am very grateful that Tasaki has accepted and observed this process of creation.”

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