Kae Takashima’s work is a subtly expressive study in contrasts: visually, thematically, and technically. The ephemeral quality of Kae Takashima’s delicate watercolor paintings comes from the Japanese concept of hakanasa, or the transience of life. Takashima renders the decadent effects of time in her abstractions of organic subjects, which wither, burn, and fade.  In her works, Takashima explores the uncontrollability and unpredictability of one’s existence by choosing materials beyond her own control, most notably fire.  The artist utilizes the juxtaposition of contradictory mediums to create a tenuous balance. The controlled fluidity of watercolor paint against the deliberately, yet haphazardly, burnt paper and canvas surfaces mimics the fleeting characteristic of hakanasa.

Kae Takashima was born in Tokyo and is deeply influenced by Japanese nature. Yet the quiet poeticism of Takashima’s works reflects a diverse range of influences.  Kae Takashima lives and works in Tokyo, Japan.