<scp>PCN</scp> Art Brut Series No. 49, Artwork Description

The piece is made using only three materials: buttons, thread, and fabric. The artist, Momoka Imura, begins by selecting fabric in her preferred color. She then carefully sews buttons onto the fabric, beginning from one end. After the entire fabric is covered with buttons (the button density varies here), she rolls it up. Interestingly, the rolled fabric with attached buttons is often wrapped in an additional layer of similarly embellished fabric. Furthermore, the work may comprise multiple layers, resulting in a piece that is somewhat heavier than it looks. The use of color is perhaps one of the most characteristic elements of Imura's works. In considering the relationship between the fabric and the buttons, she sometimes coordinates them using analogous or contrasting colors. Even when viewing the buttons alone, she sometimes uses analogous colors to create a unified look or incorporates variations. There is also the choice of thread color, which is used to sew on the buttons and roll up the fabric. The resulting color combinations are virtually countless, yet each work exhibits a distinctive idiosyncrasy—what might be called “Imura-ness”—which is as powerfully present as a signature style in the canvases of a masterful abstract artist. This conjecture is reinforced by the fact that Imura sometimes paints the buttons (consciously adjusting their color). As in painting, the colors in the underlying layers—which may not be visible—can sometimes be significant, at least to the artist. In Imura's works, an additional layer exists beneath the visible one. In recent years, Imura has reportedly begun assigning a character from a popular television program to each completed piece, arranging them according to her preference. This may suggest that she perceives them as entities with distinct personalities, even though they lack a “face” composed of features such as eyes, a nose, and a mouth. Artist: Imura Momoka Title: a ball of Button Date of Creation: 2014 Size: Dimensions variable Medium: Thread, Cotton cloth, Button Cover Design: Yoji Hirano