Abstract art has a way of reaching us before words do. Before we can even describe what is depicted, a certain atmosphere or presence emerges. Satomi Tanji's works are precisely such paintings.
Her works feature soft layers of color, flowing curves, and expressions that embrace blurs and fluctuations. Rather than the strength of unequivocally asserting something, there is a power to harmonize disparate elements while accepting them. Knowing chaos and the presence of shadow, yet still striving to look towards the light—such an attitude permeates her entire body of work.
A RENAISSANCE OF DORMANT SENSES BROUGHT ON BY A ENCOUNTER WITH ABSTRACT ART
Tanji began her artistic endeavors in earnest in 2019. Currently, she primarily creates fluid art (a technique where paint is liquefied and poured or tilted onto a canvas), but her journey leading up to this is also impressive. After graduating, she worked as a flight attendant for a foreign airline, and later as a freelance subtitle translator. She says that the international atmosphere she experienced through these jobs and memories of foreign cultures live on in her current expressions.
She had always loved creating things since childhood and aspired to be involved in creative work in the future. However, as she grew into an adult, those feelings were set aside.
The turning point came when she wanted an abstract painting for her home and decided to try painting one herself. Once she started, she was immediately drawn to its appeal. Moreover, receiving an award at a public exhibition in Osaka shortly after she began solidified her desire to "pursue a career as an artist."
Tanji's artwork using alcohol ink
REACHING BEYOND THE SEA BROUGHT CONFIDENCE IN EXPRESSION
A significant turning point in her career was her first international solo exhibition held in Taiwan in 2021. Despite being held during the challenging period of the pandemic, all the artworks sold out. She herself describes the event as feeling "like watching a miracle."
She realized that even without a common language, paintings can convey messages. Even across national borders, her intentions can be communicated—this realization must have solidified Tanji's sense of "harmony unrestricted by country, race, or culture," which underpins her work.
Because abstract paintings lack specific motifs, a large part of their interpretation is left to the viewer. This is precisely why they can resonate with people from different cultural backgrounds. Tanji is an artist who has confirmed this potential through her own experiences.
SELECTING MATERIALS AND EMBRACING CHANCE
Tanji focuses on creating a "world of harmony" and allowing light to be felt within it. Respect for nature, the balance of yin and yang, and the inclusion of not only brightness but also shadows and fluctuations. At the core of her work is the perspective of still finding hope despite these elements.
She is also very particular about materials, choosing 24K gold foil and high-quality resins. She carefully selects and uses materials that bring out beautiful nuanced and pale colors. While abstract painting is often perceived as free expression, the choice of materials significantly alters transparency and depth. Her meticulous attention to such details supports the quality of her work.
On the other hand, her creative approach itself is very open. She clears her mind, avoids over-controlling, and values what naturally emerges. She layers textures and incorporates accidental effects as she works. Colors and movements spread across the canvas, and accents of foil bring light into the composition. This collaborative stance with materials and flow, including the selection of colors found in nature, supports the transparency and depth of her artworks.
Gold foil used to evoke light
MEMORIES OF TRAVEL AND QUIET CONCENTRATION FOSTER THE ARTWORK
She works primarily in the early morning in a room at her home that serves as her studio. She focuses intensely while her mind is clear, maintains a structured daily routine, and cherishes her alone time. This approach seems to be directly reflected in her work. Rather than adding something to strengthen it, she reduces noise to maintain a receptive state, and then draws out what has entered her inner self.
Sources of inspiration include cityscapes from her travels, ancient buildings, and historical structures and churches she has seen in Europe. I believe her gaze towards the profound history held by these lands and buildings creates the somewhat mystical atmosphere that permeates her work.
ARTWORK THAT SUBTLY ENHANCES DAILY LIFE
Tanji expresses her hope that her works will lead to a "sense of healing" and a "feeling of lightness in the heart." In a chaotic world, she aims for her art to resonate with something within the viewer. The scale unique to this artist can be felt in her attempt to layer this with an awareness of coexisting with nature.
At the same time, her perspective on how her art should exist in daily life is concrete. She envisions her pieces blending into home interiors and lighting, existing subtly, and subtly changing the space by their presence. They don't assert themselves too strongly, yet they undeniably set the atmosphere of a place.
Perhaps they are not paintings that explicitly explain something every time you look at them. However, they quietly help to re-center your heart when you least expect it. Satomi Tanji's abstract paintings are works that you can live with for a long time in this way.
