ON EXHIBIT
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Reiko Brandon's "Squares" comprise delicate strips of indigo-dyed linen and gold leaf. Brandon's work is showing at the Koa Gallery, which has named her the 2007 KOA Award honoree.
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Bridging East and West
In her artist's statement for a showcase of textile pieces at the Koa Gallery, Reiko Brandon says that the body of work illustrates her "lifelong struggle to bridge East and West."
Brandon, a native Japanese, combines materials that reflect the Eastern and Western sensibilities -- "warm, soft, passive" handmade paper with "cold, shiny, aggressive" copper -- to explore the dilemma.
"Reiko Brandon, Selected Works, Then and Now," includes indigoed flowing linens and stacks of washi, quilted sumi-inked fabrics and sculptures that weave the aforementioned paper and copper around bamboo and wood.
The pieces imbue the gallery with a quiet, reflective mood, bridging poetically to questions Brandon asks in her statement: "Is there hidden strength in sereneness? Can complexity derive from simplicity?"
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"Blue and White."
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For Sara Oka, who succeeded Brandon as textiles collections manager at the Honolulu Academy of Arts and calls the artist her mentor, Brandon's achievements extend beyond the canvas. "It's more than just her art. She's a loving testament to gracious living," Oka says.
Brandon will be honored for her contributions to the local art scene with the 2007 KOA Award at a recognition dinner April 5. Call Koa Gallery at 734-9374 for tickets.
"Reiko Brandon, Selected Works, Then and Now" runs through April 12. Koa Gallery, located on the KCC campus, is open 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Mondays to Fridays and to 2 p.m. Sundays. The gallery will be closed March 26 to 30 for Spring Break.
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"Summer Guardian."
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"Winter Guardian."
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Brandon used paper and hand stitching to create "Tabi."
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