WABA WABA WABA POMPAKLEEN
PEE-KARA PEE-KARA WASHI WABA
CHOB CHOB POMPAKLEEN
CHON CHON BUBUCHON WABA WABA
CUCUMBER
Huhtamaki Wab's practice operates within an animistic and non-anthropocentric world where interconnected spirits and humans populate landscapes to create ecstatic realities. Complex entanglements between persons and landscapes create a rich ecology of non-hierarchical relations. These depictions are situated within the lineage of representations of animistic belief from his birthplace of Japan, in wide-reaching references from contemporary manga to ukiyo-e prints of the Edo period. Wab's mixed heritage offers connection with themes of unbelonging and explores this often complex and difficult space through humour, play and radical ownership of semantic material within the work. They also look and reflect upon personal experiences of hearing voices and addiction, acting not only as a critically engaged practice but also a means for recovery and relearning. A part of this relearning is resisting and decolonising ways of looking and seeing, manifest in ways of understanding these personal experiences and the way we collectively view the myriad of life-worlds around us.
Born in Tokyo, 1984, Graduated Chelsea College of Arts, 2008. Lives and works in Cornwall, UK
2023 - We are Floating in Space - Newlyn/Exchange
2022 - Genius Treasure Collection - Supernormal Festival
2022 - Johnston Organogong Dissensemble (Huhtamaki Wab/ Lucy Dagwyn, Sion Dafwyn) Installation + Performance- Supernormal Festival
2022 - South West Showcase, Mirror Gallery, Plymouth UK, SOLO
2022 - Hospital Rooms Commision, Torbay Hospital, UK
2021 - Neck of The Wood, (group show), Switzerland
2021 - Estival at Weven Shop. (group show), Stroud, UK June 19th - 3rd July
2021 - Glasgow International - Don't let the Bastards Grind you Down, Liv Fontaine, Paul Kindersley and Huhtamaki Wab, Skypark, Glasgow, June 11th - 27th
2020/21 "Why do you follow my son around?"
"Because I like mites"
- Edible and Non-edible persons of waba and pompakleen. Exeter Phoenix, UK, SOLO
2021 - Residue of Ghosts and Offerings, UK
2021 - For the many , not the few, Guts Gallery, Online group show
2020 - Goose Summer. Online Group Show
2020 - Rame Projects Residency, Cornwall, UK
2020 - Moving Forward, Ariel Centre, Devon, UK
2020- Encounter with the Monolith /Vorspiel, Backsteinboot Gallery, Berlin, Germany
2019 - Got it for Cheap/Velvet Ropes, House of Vans, London, UK
2019 - Barbara Wesolowska and Huhtamaki Wab. Unit 21, Penarth Centre. London, UK
2019 - Blackwing Studio, London, UK
2018 - 50A.D “Efrin Everywhere” Vevey, Switzerland
2018 - Create Pembrokeshire Residency, Wales, UK
2018 - Church Painting Show Part 1, London, UK
PUBLICATIONS
2021 - La Tranchee Racine, France
2021 - Mobile Soils, Published by Teti, Switzerland
2021 - Underpinned by the Movement of Freighter, UK
Screenings
2020 - Art Work Exeter Film Commission - Edible Person
2019 - Cabbage, CCA Glasgow, UK
2018 - Safa, London, UK
2018 - Cabbage - Junk Space, Glasgow, UK
2017 - Mount Florida Screenings, Glasgow, UK
Genius Treasure Collection
2020 - Plymouth Art Weekender, UK
2018 - 2019, Genius Treasure Museum, London, UK
2018 - GTC Paintings, Lara Project Space, London, UK
2017 - Selected works from collection - Lima Zulu, London, UK