Artist CV (pdf)
Artist Bio
At the Freer House, Detroit, 2017 (photo by Rick Bielaczyc)
Hiroko Lancour is a Japanese-born mixed-media artist with an MFA from Wayne State University. Hiroko's work is influenced by her cross-cultural background of East and West, as well as her prior career as a systems analyst. Her work has been exhibited at various venues including the Scarab Club, Detroit; the Galerie Camille, Detroit; the Charles L. Freer House, Detroit; the Detroit Artists Market; Detroit Historical Society and Museum; the War Memorial, Grosse Pointe Farms, MI; Northville Art House, Northville, MI; University of Michigan Hospital, Ann Arbor, MI; and the Alden B. Dow Museum, Midland, MI.
Artist Statement
I am fascinated by patterns and geometry. This is due to my earlier career in information technology. Trained as a systems analyst, I developed computer systems to simplify complex business processes for nearly 30 years, before becoming a full-time artist in 2010. Spotting repeatable patterns and processing data using tables with rows and columns for a long time, I’ve acquired the habit of looking at things and processing them systematically. Thus, this tendency is evident in my work.
In my art making, however, I prefer a low-tech approach. I use less technology and rely more on my own hands and intuition. A key motivating factor in my slow method is the contemplative state I enjoy while engaging in repetitive manual procedures. My Paper Sashiko Series is an example of therapeutic art practice. I quietly poke and stitch one hole at a time by hand and repeat that process hundreds of times. It is like a walking meditation.
Another uniqueness of my work can be traced to my cross-cultural background from East and West. I frequently use contrasting materials from both cultures; for instance, Asian calligraphy paper and sumi ink on Western paper. My thought process is also cross-cultural which gives me a wider view when looking at the world. It also causes a dilemma. I struggle to reconcile my two divergent identities. I feel that I am an insider looking out, and an outsider looking in at the same time. This ambivalent stance generates many questions to which I am inspired to answer artistically.
It is not easy to select which artists have influenced my work the most, but at the top of my list I would put Eva Hesse. Her work “Accession II,” on display at the Detroit Institute of Arts, has been the piece I always go back to when I want to recapture my “beginner’s mind.” Hesse’s tactile work resonates with me deeply.
In my art making, however, I prefer a low-tech approach. I use less technology and rely more on my own hands and intuition. A key motivating factor in my slow method is the contemplative state I enjoy while engaging in repetitive manual procedures. My Paper Sashiko Series is an example of therapeutic art practice. I quietly poke and stitch one hole at a time by hand and repeat that process hundreds of times. It is like a walking meditation.
Another uniqueness of my work can be traced to my cross-cultural background from East and West. I frequently use contrasting materials from both cultures; for instance, Asian calligraphy paper and sumi ink on Western paper. My thought process is also cross-cultural which gives me a wider view when looking at the world. It also causes a dilemma. I struggle to reconcile my two divergent identities. I feel that I am an insider looking out, and an outsider looking in at the same time. This ambivalent stance generates many questions to which I am inspired to answer artistically.
It is not easy to select which artists have influenced my work the most, but at the top of my list I would put Eva Hesse. Her work “Accession II,” on display at the Detroit Institute of Arts, has been the piece I always go back to when I want to recapture my “beginner’s mind.” Hesse’s tactile work resonates with me deeply.