Dorothy Circus Gallery London is honoured to present ‘Small Livings in Our Daily Life’, a solo exhibition by the distinguished Japanese artist Kanako Ozawa. On view from April 4 to April 30, 2025, the exhibition invites viewers into Ozawa’s world—one where the boundaries between memory and material, presence and absence, are gently blurred.
Born in Chiba in 1988, Ozawa studied Media Art at Tokyo Polytechnic University, developing a practice that fluidly transitions between canvas and sculpture. Her works challenge conventional artistic mediums, seamlessly weaving two-dimensional and three-dimensional forms. This interplay allows her to revisit and reshape memories into palpable expressions, evoking a delicate balance between the ephemeral and the eternal. A soft, muted palette suffuses her work with an ethereal quality, capturing the quiet poetry of existence.
The exhibition’s title, ‘Small Livings in Our Daily Life’, draws inspiration from an old picture book, Creatures Among the Grasses—translated in English as Small Livings Between Grasses. As a child, Ozawa imagined an unseen presence watching over her—not a ghost, but a sensation, a quiet companionship within the fabric of everyday life. This impression lingers in her work, manifesting as faceless, spirit-like figures that embody the complexities of human existence. Enveloped in mystery, these beings hover between materiality and emptiness, reflecting the tension between the weight of being and the lightness of existence.
Central to her creations is the influence of Japanese animism—the belief that all entities, animate or inanimate, possess a spirit. This philosophy permeates her art, inviting viewers to perceive the subtle energies that inhabit the spaces between the tangible and the unseen. Her minimalist compositions, defined by expansive white spaces, embody the Japanese aesthetic of ‘ma’, or negative space, which emphasises the beauty found in emptiness and silence. Ozawa’s work transcends traditional boundaries, encouraging contemplation of the invisible forces that shape our daily lives.
We warmly invite you to the opening reception on Friday, April 4, 2025, an exclusive event for collectors, journalists, and esteemed guests of the gallery. The exhibition will be open to the public from Saturday, April 5, until Wednesday, April 30, 2025. To ensure a seamless visit, we recommend scheduling an appointment.
