BASE GALLERY

Miwako Iga is a photographic artist whose works represent various scenes of family and society with toy dolls appearing as main characters. Her works have recently received high commendation, and she was awarded "New Cosmos of Photography Prize" in 1999.
"Madame Cucumber" will exhibit about 20 of Iga's latest works. This is her first exhibition at Base Gallery, and the first anthology of her work "Madame Cucumber"(grambooks) will be published concurrently.

The dolls in Iga's works are cheap, colorful, and emotionless. However, they are in a situation which represents serious and antagonizing aspect of life, which is the reality of our modern society. Such a gap evokes laughter and at the same time, reveals the fictitiousness that life or reality has. It is true that a characteristic of photography which directly sets a scene on a screen as "another reality" is at work here quite effectively.

Iga's own self is unmistakably reflected in the leading character in "Madame Cucumber". However, her works imply that we all - regardless of sex or age - need to play a role given in society in order to survive, and represent the strength that we possess to overcome solitariness and sorrow in life even with a laugh.