Yu Kobayashi creates paintings and sculptures that emerge from daily life and the rhythms of the natural world. Drawing inspiration from routines such as gardening, fishing, surfing, and swimming, she often works outdoors or directly on the ground, allowing sunlight, wind, and sand to become collaborators in her creative process. Her mark-making—calligraphic, gestural, and intuitive—records the physical and sensory experiences of seaside living while reflecting influences from her travels across Africa and Europe. Kobayashi’s work is rooted in the philosophy of bodily awareness, where each gesture and form embodies movement, perception, and feeling. Her pieces resonate with the energy of human experience, translating the vitality of life into material forms. There is a palpable sense of sincerity, presence, and strength in her art, capturing the essence of being fully alive. Through her work, viewers are invited to reconnect with their own bodily perception, sensing the energy and awareness that underpin thought, feeling, and creativity. Her art becomes a bridge between the inner life and the external world, emphasizing the inseparable relationship between body, mind, and environment. ...
