MARK JENKINS & MIHO KINOMURA “GLAZED PARADISE”

HAPPENINGText: Wakana Kawahito

Why did you use real person looks like the work, legs under a garbage bag?

Using the legs in a garbage bag is funny in a strange sense because it creates this sort of oneness with humans and what we throw away. Most people identify themselves with their possessions rather than the trash they throw out and never think to co-habitate with their rubbish. But too, I like the idea of this guy living inside of his own trash, unable to see, what he must smell if it were really trash. And then with this girl beside him, it’s not something he can even realize let alone enjoy. Maybe here, as the only man in the scene, he represents his own self-contamination by his bad moral behavior, but that is just my guess.

Glazed Paradise by Mark Jenkins & Miho Kinomura

Could you explain the reason you mixed several your style at this exhibition?

Mixing styles for me is more about using the various characters I’ve created on the streets in a way to enrich the story, the same way an illustrator will create a cast of characters like the Simpsons and then develop plots. Most of my work, while symbolic, has a strong underlying narrative both on and off the street.

Glazed Paradise by Mark Jenkins & Miho Kinomura

What do you expect when people look your works?

On the street, it’s been more about challenging their reality by bending it with the art pieces that are hyper realistic and then turning the city into a stage as people react to the pieces. Indoors it’s a similar event with the camouflaged pieces, but the reactions are not as severe since it’s much harder to really fool people. But still I enjoy being able to build larger more complex installations and to some degree at least, you can still fool people’s eyes or put them into situations like the PINIC that will cause them to think about new ideas by having this new strange experience.

How do you think of Japan?

Japan is great. I was only in Tokyo but it really made a favorable impact and quickly became one of my favorite cities in the world. Everyone is very kind and I love all of the street activity with girls in short skirts, courteous construction workers, it’s a city that feels very alive. I could live here.

How do you think of collaboration with Miho Kinomura?

It was a great experience working with Miho. I think her film really captured the process of putting this exhibit together. Also since two of the sculptures in the show were made from girls in Tokyo, it was great for people to meet these people through the film. My favorite part though, was going out with Miho on the streets of Tokyo and making the portraits of the Japanese people with the babies, her idea. It was a new way to interact with the public at large that I thought was really successful. She is a free spirit with an abundance of creative energy and I’m sure she will continue to make a big impact on the international stage and I look forward to collaborating with her again in the future.

Glazed Paradise by Mark Jenkins & Miho Kinomura

Could you let us know your future projects?

I will be in Barcelona in July for an outdoor festival (Interferencia) and then be a part of the DROOG biennial in Amsterdam in September, and then another festival in Bordeaux France for New Years. For my installations I’d like to continue focusing on the outdoors as this is where I think there is the most creative frontier but the indoor experience for me is fulfilling too. I also hope to return to Japan for some outdoor fun.

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