{"id":1510,"date":"2025-05-20T16:00:00","date_gmt":"2025-05-20T16:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.deaoli.com\/?p=1510"},"modified":"2025-05-25T11:27:00","modified_gmt":"2025-05-25T11:27:00","slug":"descend-into-ica-sfs-new-space-for-masako-mikis-otherworldly-midnight-march","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.deaoli.com\/index.php\/2025\/05\/20\/descend-into-ica-sfs-new-space-for-masako-mikis-otherworldly-midnight-march\/","title":{"rendered":"Descend into ICA SF\u2019s New Space for Masako Miki\u2019s Otherworldly \u2018Midnight March\u2019"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Descend<\/p>\n

Huddled together like birds of a feather or standing resolutely on their own, Masako Miki<\/a>\u2019s vibrant, playful sculptures come to life at the Institute of Contemporary Art San Francisco<\/a>. Whether standing on spindly legs, seated on the ground, or suspended from the ceiling, there is a sense of movement and energy in the room, as if each characterful object could skitter or roll away at the slightest provocation.<\/p>\n

Miki’s solo exhibition Midnight March<\/em> is now open at ICA SF’s new exhibition space, The Cube, which activates a former bank building as a site for non-traditional exhibition presentations. The Japanese artist sets her mixed-media pieces, which incorporate materials like wool, bronze, wood, ink, and watercolor, into a darkened, starry interior in which each vibrant, cartoonish individual appears to glow.<\/p>\n

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“Umbrella\u2019s Whispers” (2025), wool on XPS foam, walnut wood, 48 1\/2 x 14 x 14 inches. Photo by Nicholas Lea Bruno<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Largely abstract in their nebulous forms, felted textures, and colorful patterns, Miki’s sculptures often hint at a life force inside. A single eye peers from a blue shape in “Enchanting Pine Tree Reaching Clouds” or human-like legs extend to the floor in “Umbrella’s Whispers.” We begin to realize that we’re being observed as much as we are observing.<\/p>\n

“Midnight March<\/em> helps us understand deeper aspects of Miki\u2019s ‘othered’ figures and recognize difference as a positive force, even as we are unsettled by it,” says an exhibition statement.<\/p>\n

The indigo sky throughout the exhibition complements Miki’s two-dimensional works, which she calls Night Parades, <\/em>welcoming visitors into an experiential context. The artist says, “I hope that my works generate the kind of curiosity and empathy that enables us to come together.\u201d<\/p>\n

Midnight March <\/em>continues through December 7 in San Francisco, and you can explore more on the artist’s website<\/a> and Instagram<\/a>.<\/p>\n

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“Midnight March (Blue and Red Violet)” (2025), watercolor on paper, 44 5\/8 x 63 1\/2 x 2 inches. Photo by Phillip Maisel<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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Foreground: “Watcher with Continuous Eyes” (2018), wool on XPS foam, 18 x 56 x 16 inches. Photo by Nicholas Lea Bruno<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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“Enchanted Pine Tree Reaching Clouds” (2024), wool on XPS foam and walnut wood, 32 x 23 x 15 1\/2 inches. Photo by Phillip Maisel<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"a
“Fox Delivering Messages” (2025), patinated bronze, 15 x 11 1\/2 x 5 inches. Edition of 4 plus 2 artist’s proofs. Photo by Nicholas Lea Bruno<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"a
“Ancient Tree Witness” (2023), wool on XPS foam and walnut wood, 76 x 48 x 42 inches. Photo by Steve Ferrera<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"a
“Awa-dancing Cat Leading the Crowds” (2025), patinated bronze, 15 1\/2 x 13 x 7 inches. Edition of 4 plus 2 artist’s proofs. Photo by Nicholas Lea Bruno<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"a
“Midnight March (Blue and Deep Gray)” (2025), watercolor on paper, 44 5\/8 x 63 1\/2 x 2 inches. Photo by Phillip Maisel<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Do stories and artists like this matter to you? Become a Colossal Member<\/a> today and support independent arts publishing for as little as $7 per month. The article Descend into ICA SF’s New Space for Masako Miki’s Otherworldly ‘Midnight March’<\/a> appeared first on Colossal<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Huddled together like birds of a feather or standing resolutely on their own, Masako Miki\u2019s vibrant, playful sculptures<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":1512,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[14],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.deaoli.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1510"}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.deaoli.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.deaoli.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.deaoli.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.deaoli.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1510"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"http:\/\/www.deaoli.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1510\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1522,"href":"http:\/\/www.deaoli.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1510\/revisions\/1522"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.deaoli.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1512"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.deaoli.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1510"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.deaoli.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1510"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.deaoli.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1510"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}