Atsuko Yamashita
Atsuko Yamashita
"echo"
Seven years ago, I was in Paris.I sublet a room for just one month at a residence where an acquaintance was staying. Even though I was abroad, I rarely went out, spending my time painting instead.
They say youth is fearless, but back then, I was filled with anxiety and dread about everything.Just walking through the woods within the residence made me feel like staying cooped up wasn't right, so I ended up going to Germany on a whim. It was dimly lit, and every view was gray—utterly captivating.Perhaps it resonated with my own gloomy self.
I am in Germany now.
The Rosary Church designed by Matisse, Gaudi's Casa Batlló, the Pyramids of Giza, Switzerland's Jungfraujoch...Wanting to see and absorb as much as possible during my year-long stay, I've visited countless places too numerous to count on both hands.
I also returned to that residence facility.I had completely forgotten about it until then, but I remembered that fragile version of myself, feeling nostalgic as I tentatively moved forward.Now, I think I've become what you might call fearless, more human.But I could only become this way because that version of me didn't give up on herself back then.
If I could time slip, I'd want to praise her.
Thank you, me from seven years ago.
Atsuko Yamashita
Atsuko Yamashita was born in Aichi Prefecture in 1993. She graduated from the Oil Painting Department of the Painting Division, Faculty of Fine Arts, Tokyo University of the Arts in 2018. Major solo exhibitions include “eating a butterfly” at HARUKAITO by ISLAND (Tokyo, 2025), “express one’s gaze” at Tokyo International Gallery (Tokyo, 2023), and “The Veil of the Kingdom” at GINZA SIX Ginza Tsutaya Art Wall (Tokyo, 2022). Major group exhibitions include “SAN GALLERY Opening Exhibition” (Taiwan, 2022), “‘Ampersand’ Elegy for the Old Image World” Tokyo Gallery + BTAP (Beijing, China, 2022), and “TAION When we talk about our world.” Spiral Garden (Tokyo, 2021). Major awards include: “35th Holbein Scholarship Recipient” (2022), Selected for Gunma Youth Biennale 2019 (2019), Shell Art Award 2018 - Tomoko Yabumae Jury Prize (2018). Works are held in the public collection of the Aichi Prefectural Museum of Art.