Gospel of Three Dimensions

Mika Obayashi

Jewett Art Gallery

Sept. 6 - Oct. 28, 2022

Gospel of Three Dimensions, a new installation by Mika Obayashi, was exhibited for the first time in the Jewett Art Gallery at Wellesley College. Made from abaca paper, cotton cord, and indigo dye, and with a title inspired by Edwin A. Abbott's 1884 novella Flatland, this artwork reflects Obayashi's interest in creating sculptures that can be looked at, in, and through all at once, changing and calling into question the ways we typically experience space.

Obayashi explores the three-dimensional possibilities of craft materials by modifying traditional craft processes, such as papermaking and basket weaving. The scale of her work varies widely, from small, self-contained objects to human- and architecture-scaled installations that seek to mindfully articulate empty or institutional space. Themes of balance, liminality, and symbols of nature materialize repeatedly in her work.

Gospel of Three Dimensions may be viewed from any point in the gallery, and viewers are invited to enter partway into the sculpture from the back to experience it more immersively. While repeated gridded and squared forms throughout the piece put it into direct conversation with the built structure of the gallery (and the prominent sun screen on the exterior of the Jewett Arts Center), the piece also has atmospheric qualities that respond to changes in light from hour to hour, day to day, allowing an attentive or repeated viewer to experience in the context of passing time as well as shifting space.

This exhibition was on view in the Jewett Art Gallery from September 6 through October 28, 2022.

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