Jungle Gym of My Mind – Mari Inukai Exhibition

Mari Inukai’s exhibition, Jungle Gym of My Mind opened last night at Thinkspace Gallery in Culver City. I’ve known Mari for years and I’m qualified to say that the subjects of her art progresses with her life. There are dark and light moments and a consistent subject is her daughter Sena. Seeing an image of Mari clothed and sitting in a bathtub is striking. When does one sit in a bathtub clothed? The spectacle piece and perhaps the largest is a portrait of Sena in Japanese traditional attire. She’s posed in the center and is a huge piece of Mari’s life. At times, their relationship seems like they are the best of friends and sometimes, Sena jumps into the mother role. The drawings are simple and refined. The graphite line work tell stories. Female nudes? Yes, she paints them classy. Here are more photos.

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