Transcendance

For this collection of works, Shibuya explored ideas of nationality, race, ageism, sexism, and how people often view them as separate entities, when in reality, most people experience - directly and indirectly - as fluid and simultaneous existences. The artist wanted to bring these concepts to the forefront as a collection to show that as different as people may be, the human commonality often leads to shared experience. In her own words:

Vibrant, young,
old, decrepit,
these are all nuances,
labels that we are told,
but do not have a place to hold in its entirety because we are multifaceted human beings.
There is no one way to face a world where we are supposed to fit containers,
as if lined up at a grocery store, waiting to be feasted upon.
No, we are uniquely, individualistically, superbly, different — and beautiful.
Effervescent, illuminating, wondrous, creatures,
roaming the planet, trying to find our way, our voice, our place,
yet a wise man told me once when feeling lost, ‘Home is where you are, wherever you are, wherever you want it to be.’
We are One World.

For this painting, Shibuya purposely wrinkled the work to contrast the “beauty” that one thinks of when speaking of “aging gracefully”. On top of the wrinkles we acquire as we age, we paint on our faces with makeup, dance with beautiful clothes and move through the world freely. However, at the same time, we have gone through many experiences in life to achieve such wisdom. Part freedom, part wisdom.