Laura Villani and Shozo Koike Dialogue at Japanese Consulate in Milan

Italian artist Laura Villani and Japanese artist Shozo Koike are exhibiting together at the Consulate General of Japan in Milan, curated by Chiara Cardini. The exhibition precedes the 160th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Japan and Italy. Villani's works, characterized by themes of suspension, absence, and circular time, engage with Koike's Sumi-e ink paintings. The opportunity arose after Villani's solo show at Galleria Biffi in Piacenza impressed the consulate's cultural referent. Villani uses mixed media on paper, layering acrylic backgrounds with pastel interventions to evoke stratified memories and primordial forms. Her works are held in public collections including the Tama Art University Museum in Tokyo, the Civica Raccolta delle Stampe Achille Bertarelli at Castello Sforzesco in Milan, and the Gabinetto delle Stampe Antiche e Moderne at Museo Civico delle Cappuccine in Bagnacavallo. She was selected for the Tokyo International Print Triennial in 1998 and 2005. Villani, a former flutist who abandoned live performance due to anxiety, now focuses on intimate, silent works. A recent article by critic Stefano Mazzatorta about her practice appears in the June issue of Titolo magazine, edited by Giorgio Bonomi.