After my nine years at Chanel in Paris as an illustrator, I started to create fine artwork in various areas: fashion art work, portraits, illustrations and embroidery.
In 2012, when I left Chanel, I created the portrait of Karl Lagerfeld who was Artistic director at Chanel for more than three decades. His portrait was made with hand punched sequins from plastic bags and plastic food packaging. I stitched them one by one by hand. It was time consuming work but the result was successful. I saw his astonished face and smile.
Since then, I continued to create the embroidery artwork with plastic sequins.
My series of iconic Chanel items are on display at the Alliance Française Eildon Gallery in Melbourne until 21 March.
I am now working on another series using the same style. Because this hand work is very detailed, my art production is limited but I will continue for as long plastic packaging continues. In 2010, I drew the series of Monoprix plastic bags (Nationwide supermarket chain). Those plastic shopping bag do not exist anymore and my drawing of plastic bags became vintage.
In my artwork, I emphasise the power and beauty of hand work, which I acquired in the high end fashion brand in Paris and my home village Kitagata in Japan.
In my illustrations and painting, I carefully choose the materials which are durable and environmentally friendly. My paintings are very much influenced by 18th century Japanese painters like Jakuchu Ito and Okyo Maruyama. I find their paintings still contemporary in the 21st century.
Takako Osawa