b. 1974, Holland

Lives and works in Tokyo

Tomotaka Yasui's life-sized sculptures of impeccably dressed women and sleek animals are subltley detailed and finely textured. Working with a combination of contemporary and traditional techniques (urushi), his pristine creations are a play on exposure and robing. Revelaing occasional slivers of 'skin', his female figures are otherwise encased in architecturally structured outfits. The tension between the body and its trappings is felt in the poised figures, refering to both cultural and gender norms.