Art: The Magic of Needle and Thread: The Exotic Quilts of Ai Kijima

Author: Abby Wilcox
Posted on: Monday June 21, 2010 at 3:00 PM
Filed under: ai kijima, artist, textiles, ronald mcdonald, superman, snow white, tokyo, japanese

Japanese-born artist Ai Kijima, whose first name "Ai" means "Love" in Japanese, crafts bright, collage-esque works of art, all on a surprising technique: quilting. A transplant from Tokyo to the Midwest during highschool, Kijiima honed in her distinct technique over the years; she's known for stitching and overlapping a flurry of pop cultural insignia on various textile mediums, from found pillow cases, sheets, shower curtains, to old kimonos from her life growing up in Tokyo (she spends a few days a week in thrift stores searching for her materials).

Wild (2010)

Taught to sew by her grandmother as a child, Kijima's preference for textiles was a natural progression. Her topsy-turvy collaged quilts somehow make order out of disorder, integrating an assortment of robust colors and iconic figures, such as Ronald McDonald, Superman and Snow White. Kijima now resides in New York City and her work has been shown in solo exhibits all over the world.

Escape into her wild world below: