Kaori Tamura’s work is created by carving lines and dots into layered surfaces of paint using sharp tools such as needles.

This physical act is equivalent to excavating the strata of inner consciousness and memory, an exploration of the mind through the body. Her process merges with the animistic worldview and the reverence for the Yaoyorozu (the eight million gods) that naturally permeate Japanese culture, as well as with her own layered memories. The resulting pictorial spaces evoke scenes where visibility and invisibility intersect, such as the anonymous depths of the ocean, the far reaches of the universe and the interior of the earth.

Through her works and her process, Tamura advocates for the idea that respect for what is visible and imagination for what is invisible are essential elements for living more deeply and richly in the world.