Masako Miki

The Mighty Shapeshifter

Masako Miki is a spiritual soothsayer, an artist who connects with the far reaches of the universe and communicates positivity and the unseen through varied techniques, from detailed animal portraits, to amorphous, felted wool sculptures, which she scaled up to an extra-large size for a crowd-pleasing show at the Berkeley Art Museum last year. Wool felting is a process that evokes smooth delicacy, but actually requires endless stabbing of the material with sharp, barbed needles. Masako is the first artist to innovate and create larger-than-life sculptures with this hardcore fiber art process.

Kristin Farr: Tell me how your work responds to the current political climate.

Masako Miki: I believe that diversity and collaboration are key concepts to better building our society. These ideas can lead to synthesis of dichotomies. My work emphasizes the ideas of connection and empathy, which are often obscured in our current society. Thus, it is intentional to create playful and inviting work. Experiencing these sensibilities evokes feelings of connectivity, and animism translates as inclusiveness. Everything in the universe is imbued with spirits, even mundane objects. Unfortunately, these concepts run counter to the disconnect and exclusiveness that seem to have taken stronger roots. My response is always to add to a positive environment.