A new solo painting exhibition by an international PhD student at Arts University Bournemouth (AUB), Ma (間), Gaps In-between, is opening at Sandy Hill Arts in Corfe Castle.
Showcasing the artworks of Sayoko Takahata, a practice-based PhD researcher of painting at Arts University Bournemouth (AUB), the works represent sensory experiences of the Japanese cultural concept of ma (間).
“Ma basically means temporal and spatial gaps, intervals and emptiness between two or more things," explains Sayoko. "It is examined to be represented as states to feel emptiness for creativity.”
The paintings are made based on drawing practice conducted during Sayoko’s artist residency at Sandy Hill Arts in 2024. The residency experiences led her to discover intervals, Ma, in nature for harmony with human beings, and later to explore a transient moment occurring in each gap, Ma, between dots and beyond in painting practice.
“The artworks depict my research journey to paint perceptions of emptiness and creativity,” she adds.
Although she's loved painting from childhood, Sayoko didn't study art formally in Japan. It was only after attending art school as a hobby that she became interested in contemporary painting abroad and joined AUB through a Study Abroad programme.
“During BA (Hons) Fine Art at AUB, there was so much freedom for creating artwork. It took time to get used to the environment, but it was a precious experience to spend the time being creative and I embraced the freedom to experiment. This is where I explored pointillistic painting to express emotional memories through seasonal colour.
“I progressed from the BA Fine Art to MA Painting, also at AUB. The MA Painting course saw me working more independently, refining my practice from emotional to perceptual representation. Through research, critiques, and exhibitions, I deepened my understanding of colour, brushwork, and the relationship between painting and society.
“As a painter, I gradually identified that my creative process has influences of Japanese aesthetics and cultural perspectives while studying contemporary painting at AUB. This led me to situate the cultural theme in this practice-based research.
“It was this that led me to explore the Japanese concept of Ma (間) – the presence of absence or meaningful negative space as meaningless space to invite new meaning.
"Now, in my practice-based PhD, I investigate how contemporary pointillist painting practice can express Ma: communicating 'nothingness' and 'emptiness' through painted form.”
Ma (間), Gaps In-between, is opening at Sandy Hill Arts in Corfe Castle from 7–15 March with a talk from Sayoko on Sunday 8 March at 13.00. For more information, visit Sandy Hill Arts' website.
