Born in Tokyo, Japan
Seisen University (Department of western Art History) , Tokyo
Musashino Art University junior college Correspondence Course , Tokyo
Musashino Art University Correspondence Course , Tokyo

I majored in Western art history in college, and I think my work is largely influenced by my studies of Northern art from the 15th to 17th centuries. I am particularly fond of Jan van Eyck, Hieronymus Bosch, Pieter Brueghel, and Johannes Vermeer. The technique of applying thin layers of paint also seems to have influenced me, although I was not consciously aware of it.
I paint images, but it is as if I am waiting for an image to come to me. Sometimes I start with the whole image, sometimes I draw a part of the image and then the whole image spreads out, and sometimes something comes to me at the end of the work. If I have a theme in mind, it is a different process.
I am a mother of two children in their twenties (the older one is already independent), and if the home is where I belong, painting is where I return.


Fuori E-Vento Critical Review by Senior Art Curator Lisa Galletti

SUSPENDED ATMOSPHERES: METAPHYSICAL SPACE IN THE ART OF RIEKO

Floating in suspended time, we find ourselves immersed in calm atmospheres where color takes on the features of air and where forms are uprooted from the granitic laws of the real world. The light that permeates Rieko's works, soft and never direct, acts as a guide on the path taken within her artistic creation. During this visual journey, viewers are invited to discover new worlds that escape the confines of real memories, opening the mind to unexplored possibilities and unusual emotional landscapes. Rieko's talent lies in capturing a delicate balance between the unreal and the familiar, offering a space in which conventional perception dissolves. Her works serve as open windows to creative vistas that transcend the limits of the ordinary, taking viewers beyond the known, into the unexplored. They are metaphysical worlds, too distant to be real and too close to be ignored.

A metaphysical world.
In metaphysical space, beyond the palpable limitations of existence, a subtle and ineffable realm opens up that defrauds the laws of physics and perception. It is a domain in which ideas are shaped and intertwined with the very essence of reality. Here, time is not a slave to the hands of the clock, but dances in symbiosis with insights and reflections that sink into the depths of being. Geographical boundaries are disdained in this space.

It is a territory devoid of physical coordinates, in which the laws of rationality give way to a higher logic imbued with mystery and meaning. The metaphysical ether is configured as the crossroads of infinite possibilities, where imagination merges with consciousness, generating concepts beyond ordinary understanding. It is a place where questions transcend answers and reality reveals itself in multiple layers of meaning. In this abstract realm, gateways to deeper understanding of life, death and the nature of the universe are opened. It is a pilgrimage into the unknown, an immersion into the depths of the soul and a dialogue with truths veiled behind appearances. Metaphysical places are unseen, they do not belong to the reality of everyday life, and perhaps that is why the desire to explore them, to try to breathe their air even if only for a second, is so urgent. They are still worlds, without time or spatial coordinates, and yet, in our hearts, the perception of time fades, making the duration of our stay uncertain.

Suspended atmospheres.
Metaphysics, shaped by the reflections of eminent philosophers such as Kant, Aristotle and Heidegger, constitutes a field intrinsically connected to the search for universal truths and deeper meanings in the intricate complexity of reality. In the philosophical context, metaphysics stands out as a field of inquiry devoted to fundamental questions about being, reality, existence, causality and the nature of the universe. Rooted in the Western philosophical tradition, metaphysics aims to transcend the boundaries of empirical knowledge, going beyond the limitations of the natural sciences. In this quest, the discipline questions the very nature of being, exploring key concepts such as essence, identity and the relationship between what exists and what is possible.

Through an analysis of ultimate reality, metaphysics delves into the concepts of God, the soul and the fundamental truths underlying existence itself. However, metaphysics is not limited to external inquiry; it also embraces self-reflection on the foundations of knowledge. Kant, through his "Critique of Pure Reason”, illuminated the nature of the a priori categories of the human mind, raising crucial questions about the foundations of our knowledge and the validity of perceptions. Ultimately, metaphysics emerges as a philosophical field that goes beyond empirical observation, striving to reveal the deeper and more universal truths underlying existence and reality. Metaphysical research, in keeping with the idea of timeless and spaceless atmospheres, moves beyond physical coordinates. In this approach, ideas take shape and intertwine with the very essence of reality, where time dances in symbiosis with insights and reflections that sink into the depths of being. The timeless and spaceless atmospheres evoked by this discipline connect inexorably with the idea of still worlds located beyond temporal and spatial constraints. In this perspective, Rieko's artistic production reveals itself as an intrinsic visual translation of the concept of metaphysical place. Through a kind of navigation in suspended time, the viewer finds himself immersed in serenely ethereal atmospheres, where color is not simply a visual element, but takes on the same qualities and lightness as the surrounding air. The forms, in their unfolding, boldly break free from the strict laws of the concrete world. Within Rieko's works, air becomes a palpable presence, imbued with color and meaning. As in a Flemish painting, thin veils of almost transparent pigment are elegantly superimposed, creating a fascinating and complex atmospheric effect that manifests itself through light and air, involving and enveloping the entire work itself. This atmosphere is not simply a background, but permeates every detail of the representation, acquiring an autonomy that makes it an integral and distinctive part of the overall work.

The essence of this atmosphere transcends the merely visual, extending beyond the boundaries of the canvas or artistic surface. An intense dialogue is established between the viewer and the composition, in which the atmospheric dimension takes on a life of its own, influencing perception and enriching the meaning of the work. In this way, Rieko creates not just visual paintings, but sensory experiences that immerse the viewer in a metaphysical world in which time dissolves and beauty transcends tangible reality.

The real becoming symbol, the symbol becoming pigment.
And so it is that, thanks to an atmosphere that encompasses all the subjects present in the representation, Rieko's art rises to a true symbolic role, where the subjects of the works are seen as true symbols, contained in an organic and coherent space. Illuminated all by the same placid and suffused light, imbued with meaning and significance, these subjects take on the task of suggesting to our consciousness new interpretive possibilities, new avenues of vision that disrupt the laws of empirical reality, opening up the world of the symbolic. And it is only because of this particular type of light, this still and calm atmosphere, that Rieko's works succeed in entering the world of symbols. Without this particular atmosphere, the subjects depicted would be inserted into a real reality, into the world of cause and effect, into our daily lives in a nutshell, losing that character of immutability that suggests "a vision of things beyond things." For it is because of the pigmented and ethereal air, it is because of the uncertain and deep backdrops that Rieko's art takes on true artistic autonomy and meaning. The inherent unknown in these paintings, the uncertainty of the presence of a recognizable space-time, are elements that lead Rieko's works and consequently our own consciousness beyond the tangible, opening a gateway to a new dimension.

This mysterious territory of Rieko's art is characterized by deep immersiveness, where our perception is freed from the shackles of ordinary reality and ventures into unexplored and richly suggestive territories. Embarking on this journey inspired by De Chirico's memory, we let the pigmented air color our limbs, breathing in the tepid and still atmosphere bathed in diffuse light. Analyzing Rieko's works could be considered as a real journey in which each time our soul is flooded with different stimuli, derived from the subjects of the work. I would like to start this journey with "Vicinity of silence" as, in my opinion, it perfectly expresses the idea of entering a new world that we have never seen before. The work itself invites us to do so, invites us to open the window to turn our gaze to an atmosphere that smells of the unknown where there is no horizon line. And we can do nothing but go along with this suggestion, letting ourselves be carried away by the vision of what is depicted. Beyond the glass of the ochre-rimmed window a new world opens up, a world in which space-time takes no recognizable form, a panorama impossible to compare with anything we have seen in the real world and in our memories. In front of us, a greenish atmosphere floods the landscape. It is deep; it literally seems to have no end. There is a feeling that if we fixated on a random point in this space, our consciousness would never return, being swallowed up by infinity. Although the feeling of the unknown may destabilize, may indeed be frightening, atmospheric color comes to us and, with its placid stillness and inherent warmth, envelops our limbs, comforting us in a chromatic embrace. And it is only in this moment of newfound lucidity that we bring into focus what actually lies before our eyes. A multitude of brown elements illuminated by greenish highlights. Our mind tries to associate the vision before us with something known, something recognizable. Softly shaped rocks stand out before our gaze. Yet, something is wrong, a short circuit runs through our mind.

Normally, in a world governed by the laws of physics, rocks are heavy objects, firmly welded to the ground. Lifting them, one can perfectly feel the weight of their atoms. Yet, the rocks in Rieko's work seem to float in the air. Indeed, because they are floating in the sky, they literally have the same weight as air. How is this possible? Where do we find ourselves? We are not in the real world; there is nothing here that can be traced back to what we observe in our everyday lives. The granitic laws of our world do not apply in this space, they have no authority whatsoever. And that is how the concept of metaphysical space comes into play, a space that goes beyond the solidity of the world to examine the symbolic side of things. In this space then, the atoms that make up rocks have the same weight as air molecules. Not surprisingly, even if our minds struggle to realize it, we are not on planet earth; we are exploring a new reality. This dissonance between reality and Rieko's symbolic worlds is even more evident in "Story beyond the moon." We are used to looking at the night sky. Our pupils dilate, darkness envelops the features of the known world, and the only source of light present is reflected by a diaphanous, rocky body hovering in the sky: the moon. Motionless in her beauty, she is companion to our lives and guardian of our dreams. Yet, she is always so distant, so intangible in her unchanging perfection. If only the moon could come closer to us, if only the satellite would come closer to listen to our nightly thoughts and reflections. Perhaps, we could establish a dialogue with her, the placid guardian of our dreams. The moon in "Story beyond the moon" seems to have heard our plea for help. So fragile in its orange contours, the satellite is close to us, so close that it entirely brightens the atmosphere and colors it with guttural greenish tones. The darkness of the night unravels, revealing a curtain of trees with colorful foliage unfolding before our gaze. We remain interdicted.

The moon is so close to us that it overrides the arboreal silhouettes, placing itself before them. There is something strange about it and yet, the moment this thought pops into our minds, we remember that we are not in the real world but in Rieko's atmospheres where everything is possible, everything is actionable. We are in the world of symbols and we must not forget that. And so it is that, after becoming more aware of the world unfolding before us, we surrender to the moon, to the atmosphere of this landscape so soothing and placid that it invites us to talk to the satellite, which has come down especially for us from distant and cold space. It is a continuous dialogue, a river of reflections poured into the work and addressed to the moon. Remember, the rules of space-time are staggered in these worlds. The moon will remain there, placidly listening to all we have to say to her without the sun overriding her placid and fragile figure. If the atmosphere in the previous work was characterized by a real physical presence-the moonlight becoming atmospheric light that unravels the darkness of the night-there are works in which the air takes the form of a totally abstract entity, works before which the viewer is left with nothing more than to surrender to the feeling that that particular atmosphere emanates. Such is the case with "Gentle Time." For the first time on this long journey we are not alone. Like a Dantean Beatrice, a figure of a woman characterized by a blue robe stands out in the center of the pictorial composition. She seems extremely focused, intent on observing a small sphere-perhaps a star or something more symbolic-with golden gleams that rises above her head. The body language suggests a desire for closeness between the woman and the sphere, with the small hand gently reaching out toward the celestial body. We do not want to disturb the woman, so intent on her thoughts and actions, we need only be silent spectators of this representation, so as not to upset the balance of this world.

And so it is that we, too, let go of our intentions, being lulled by this atmosphere that suggests a feeling of warmth and tepidity. The diaphanous yellowish light, smeared with pinkish and bluish hues, takes over our bodies and urges us to enter a state of calm, a mindless state of mind to savor the exact moment described in the play. "The here and now" of things. The atmosphere thus rises to the role of an emotional factor of the whole performance. It is no longer something objective and evidently present, but rather transforms into pure emotion that envelops our limbs, cradling our stay in that world. Immersed in this warm and silent amniotic fluid, all we are left with is to savor this feeling of calm and newfound warmth that, inevitably, our minds have forgotten. In this exploratory journey through Rieko's pictorial atmospheres, we find ourselves immersed in a pilgrimage through chromatic nuances that go beyond mere visual representation. Her art becomes a sensory and conceptual experience, a journey through ethereal and placid chromatic landscapes, where hues are not only perceived but experienced. These atmospheres, rich in emotional nuances, become sensory paths that engage not only the sight but also the viewer's soul. Rieko's art thus becomes an invitation to explore not only what is visible on the canvas, but also what lurks behind the surface, in that subtle realm of meanings and suggestions, the metaphysical realm to be precise, free from all laws that govern the real and known world. This artistic pilgrimage through Rieko's works is a journey into the depth of chromatic nuances and the intensity of painted atmospheres. It is an experience that invites one to contemplate the intrinsic meaning of things, to embrace the ethereal beauty of the hues and to be transported by the emotional richness that permeates every brushstroke of these metaphysical worlds.

Lisa Galletti