Mineko Grimmer (美音子グリマー, born 1949) is a Los Angeles–based installation sound artist.[1] Her work is influenced by both Eastern and Western cultures. She is inspired by the chance elements of John Cage as well as notions of time in Shinto shrines and Zen Gardens. Sound and silence are key elements in her work. The sculptures are finely crafted out of materials like bamboo, redwood, stone and water.[2]
Mineko Grimmer | |
|---|---|
美音子グリマー | |
| Born | 1949 (age 74–75) Hanamaki, Iwate Prefecture, Japan |
| Alma mater | Otis College of Art and Design |
Education and early work
editGrimmer was born and raised in northern Japan and received her B.F.A and M.F.A from Otis College of Art and Design.[3]
In the 1970s as a student at Otis she photographed the passage of time by photographing natural phenomena like shadows, waves and wind. At this time Grimmer started photographing blocks of ice and then freezing objects in blocks of ice[3] The sound element intrigued her and in 1980's Grimmer started adding the sound element of melting ice in her installations.[4][5] The first ice sculpture was shown at the Japan America Community Culture Center in downtown Los Angeles.
Work and career
editGrimmer collaborated with the composers Carl Stone, Mamoru Fujieda and John Cage.[3] Cage and Grimmer collaborated on a project at MOCA in 1993.[6] John Cage described her work as "beautiful and beautiful to listen to".[3] Her sculpture is also included in John Cage's Number Pieces. Her work has been included in the SoundCulture Festival held in Japan in 1993.
Collections
edit- Singlewheel, 1984, mixed media. Smithsonian Museum of Art.[7]
- Remembering Plato, 1992, mixed media. Menil Collection.[8][9]
Public projects
edit- CMC Medical Plaza Foundation, 1989
References
edit- ^ "Mineko Grimmer's multi-sensory art is on display at Cuesta College". sanluisobispo. Retrieved 2017-03-29.
- ^ "Art review: Mineko Grimmer at Koplin Del Rio". LA Times Blogs - Culture Monster. 2011-03-31. Retrieved 2017-03-29.
- ^ a b c d COLKER, DAVID (1992-08-09). "Sculpturing With Sound : Mineko Grimmer uses ice, pebbles and other materials to create works that are as pleasing to listen to as they are to look at". Los Angeles Times. ISSN 0458-3035. Retrieved 2017-03-29.
- ^ Fuller, Diana Burgess; Salvioni, Daniela, eds. (2002-05-29). Art/Women/California, 1950-2000: Parallels and Intersections. University of California Press. pp. 289. ISBN 0520230655.
- ^ Davis MacNaughton, Mary (1987). "Sound and Silence: The Sculpture of Mineko Grimmer". Arts. 62: 54–58.
- ^ "Mineko Grimmer: The Dialogue". Artweek.LA. Retrieved 2017-03-29.
- ^ "Singlewheel". Smithsonian American Art Museum. Retrieved 2017-09-30.
- ^ "Contemporary Focus Mineko Grimmer". The Menil Collection.
- ^ Glentzer, Molly (26 June 2019). "Art review: Chill out with Mineko Grimmer's installation at the Menil". Houston Chronicle.