Ryu Ika

I am a visual artist who mainly uses photographs (shot by me) as material to create collages, sculptures, and installations.

My work is all about humans: I observe the daily life around me with my own unique perspective, focusing on the ugliness, the fakeness of the raw, vivid life. In doing so, I explore themes such as self-awareness, identities, communication and interaction, the position of human beings in daily social activities and the inescapable performativity of it.

I see artistic practice as a communication tool with others, with myself, I also use it to explore my own identity. Since I use photography as a tool for communication I work best when language fails me. When I couldn’t see well, I really watch. When I couldn’t hear well, I really listen. When I couldn’t understand well, I really have the curiosity and took photos. Being immersed in a foreign culture is therefore a crucial impetus for my artistic drive.

At the same time, I understand photo images more as raw material than just as a record of specific events. I experiment to bring back the fragile 2D photographs back to into reality; by touching, folding, cutting, overlapping, expanding the size, transforming the color, or provoking image noise. In reworking my photograph in this way, I insert myself into it and become a big part of my works. Using my works for communication, I add more meanings, include interactive elements in the installations, and thus try to show my own existence.

写真作家。中国・内モンゴル自治区生まれ、2020年武蔵野美術大学卒業。在学中にパリ国立高等美術学校に協定留学。2018年、第17回写真「1_WALL」姫野希美賞受賞。2019年、第21回写真「1_WALL」展グランプリ、「T3 PHOTO FESTIVAL TOKYO 」ベストポートフォリオ賞受賞。主な個展に「The Circular Ruins: MOM LAND」新風館SPOT（京都、2023年）、「The Second Seeing」ガーディアン・ガーデン（東京、2020年）など。他グループ展への参加・自費出版多数。2021年赤々舎から作品集『The Second Seeing』（第二の観察）、Newfaveから『Mémos』を刊行。

Ika Ryu is a photographic artist from Inner Mongolia, China

Lives and works in Tokyo, Japan

Education

2020　　 Graduated from Department of Imaging Arts and Sciences, Musashino Art University, Tokyo

Residency
2022 count three bodies, Sonoaida shin-yurakucho, Tokyo (archive Sonoaida / installation view） Tokyo

Selected Solo Exhibitions

2023 Untitled (family alubm &_), flotsam books, Tokyo

2023　　The Circular Ruins: MOM LAND, ShinPuhKan SPOT, Kyoto (ex. info. / installation view)
2021　　The Second Seeing, Theater Ander throw, Kyoto, Japan (ex. info.)

2021　　 A part of u/me, traffic, Tokyo

2021 botai, fugen-sha, Tokyo

2021 interface approach Ⅱ vestige, me, now separating, NADiff Window Gallery,

2020　　The Second Seeing, Guardian Garden, Tokyo, Japan（ex. info.)

2019　　 Puzzle Mapping, AMAC Projects Gallery, Paris, France (installation view)

Selected Group Exhibitions

2023 Asama International Photo Festival 2023, Miyota Museum of Photograph, Nagano

Order & Resistance 2023, the Ueno Royal Museum, Tokyo

2022　 Layers, Ricoh Art Gallery, Tokyo, Japan

Sense Island (Tokyo photographic research project), Sarushima, Yokosuka

2021 　 T3 photo Festival

2021 　 culture centre, BnA hotel, Tokyo

2020　 P.O.N.D, Shibuya PARCO, Tokyo

Hito ga Kieta Machi (人が消えた街), Czech Center Tokyo, Tokyo

Culture Centre in flotsam books, flotsam books, Tokyo

Spring of Covid-19 (コロナの春), fugen-sha, Tokyo

Awards

2022 Finalist, Tadahiko Hayashi Award, Yamaguchi
2019 Best Portfolio, T3 Photo Festival Tokyo
2019 Grand Prix, 21th Photography 1_WALL, Guardian Garden, Tokyo
2018 Jury’s Prize by HIMENO Kimi (Akaaka-sha), 17th Photography 1_WALL, Guardian Garden, Tokyo

Musashino Art university student exchange program for École nationale supérieure des beaux-arts de Paris

Collection
Kiyosato Museum of Photographic Arts (KMoPA),Yamanashi, JP

Publications

2020　　 The Second Seeing, AKAAKA Art Publishing

2020　　 Memos, Newfavebooks

Selected Self Publishing

2022　　 A part of u/me vol.6

2022 　　A part of u/me vol.5

2022　　 In case I don’t see you, good afternoon, good evening, and good night

2022　　 LOST DOG

2022　　 Screenshots

2021 　　A part of u/me vol.4