IWAI Mika Exhibition View

IWAI Mika

Textile artist working at the intersection of traditional Japanese dyeing and contemporary fiber art. Through engraved lines in paste resist dyeing and needle lace, I explore "emergence"—waiting for the gentle, soft dialogue that arises between deliberate mark-making and material autonomy.

Selected Works

Engraved Memory03 —Magnolia—

Engraved Memory03 —Magnolia—

2022 — Engraved lines in paste resist dyeing

A piece of Days 01

A piece of Days 01

2018 — Stencil paste resist dyeing, Needle lace

Exhibitions

Doctoral Research Exhibition

Doctoral Research Exhibition

2021 — Kanazawa College of Art

_ing Exhibition Vol.1

_ing Exhibition Vol.1 IWAI Mika

2025 — Komatsu Wall IT Co., Ltd. — Photo: OKU Yuji

IWAI Mika

About the Artist

I am a textile artist based in Kanazawa, Japan, with over 18 years of experience in traditional Japanese dyeing techniques. I hold a doctorate from Kanazawa College of Art, where my research focused on the concept of "emergence"—thinking through my hands about the interactions between human intention and material autonomy.

My work spans museum-scale installations to intimate needle lace pieces, unified by a consistent exploration of the boundary between control and organic self-organization. Recent recognition includes the Gifu Art Award Grand Prize (2025) and selection for the Japan Media Arts Festival.

Currently, I am developing a new body of work exploring "Emergent Surrealism" through needle lace on cushions—seeking methods for the gentle accumulation and emergence of thought through handicrafts in the AI era.

Download CV (PDF)

Contact

For inquiries and collaborations

mail@iwaimika.com

Web Exhibition

The Seasonal One