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 Mae Suzuki is a recent graduate of CalArts. Based in Southern California, her interest in Japanese culture and identity politics is informed by her Japanese American heritage. Her works reflect the cross pollination of cultural trends and youth culture between Japan and
America. Mae's ideas are seen in her paintings, while she has also explored performance, sculpture, video, and mixed media. She has an upcoming show at the HEAR Gallery in Los Angeles in 2006.
I received the notice on a hot sunny afternoon from Darcy Huebler. Rebeca and I were at her house assisting Luciano Perna in the garage on his projects. Got to say it was one of those summer pink lemonade perfect days. The news was delivered short and sweet. “Guess what? You two are going to France!” It must’ve been the heat I thought but did I hear her right? We’re going to France. There wasn’t’ any lemonade that day but we toasted with chilled Champaign which made the news even rosier and dreamy. We’ve learned Rebeca, Charles Bengs and I were chosen from California Institute of the Arts to travel to France. We were to then produce works from the experience. Now, you have to agree that’s one deal you definitely cannot pass. Decline that job offer from Trump. Tell Donald you’re no apprentice and besides, that orange mist that is flowing down his forehead always made you feel skeptical anyways. Postpone the wedding. Well I didn’t’ have one planned but would have if I had and maybe just maybe I might find Mr. Right on the trip. Crossing fingers. Point made, I wasn’t going to let anything come between France, and me period.
I’ve lived in California all my life. Born in Van Nuys, grew up in Torrance, lived 4 years in Los Angeles during attending Cal Arts. I’ve traveled to Japan, Mexico and to other states: AZ, HI and NV but France would be the first. The Mecca of the arts, great dining and shopping is a given of course. I wondered how many times I saw photos of the place. Thinking of the great masters and their masterpieces. It revived my memories as a child looking up to my heroes like Van Gough, Matisse, Renoir and Monet.
I started having interest in drawing, painting, creating and destroying at a young age. My first piece, site specific to the white walls in the house, then colossal to a toddler, was surrendered over to my delight, shortly after a shortly lived resistance by my mother who got tired of scrubbing. Back then the act of creation was purely for fun. That soon changed through the years as conscious grew into the forms that were created. I began questioning the content of the work and it’s relationship to the form. I started looking into my identity as a Japanese American and the works produced are heavily influenced though my experience as a minority in this country and in relationship to the youth culture of today. That said, a little glimpse of my present works.
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Untitled
18” x 24”
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