Time and Trace

Fuko Suzuki aims to create fictitious artifacts from a place that does not exist. As a cross cultural individual she finds comfort in her surroundings while she has never truly belonged. Her work evokes the sense of a dream-like state of a place that is both nowhere but everywhere, known and unknown.

Suzuki works on re-establishing ritual within her own practice through the traditionally female acts of sewing and weaving. She creates her own myth through her paintings, drawings and non-traditional handpoke tattooing inspired by imagery from Western mythology and Japanese ukiyo-e. Suzuki’s work emphasises the importance of ritualistic process when conjuring her objects that dwell in the make-believe.

When I was in highschool I obsessed over tattoos – I would read tattoo magazines every day and research tattoo art and artists. I started a tattoo apprenticeship when I was 18 and began using a machine, but after the discovery of ‘tebori’ (traditional Japanese handpoking method) all I wanted was to tattoo by hand. The techniques and craft took years to pick up, but I haven’t touched a machine since.

When I started tattooing I worked with old school styles using bold lines and American influence, but eventually I found my love for Traditional Japanese work. Many Traditional Japanese tattoos were larger scale covering whole limbs or even the entire body, and often depicted mythology (including Gods, Godesses, Deities), demons, dragons, flora, elements of nature, and Yokai (Supernatural monsters). Because the style was so vast and beautiful I naturally wanted to incorporate it into my tattooing, but the drawing side didn’t come easily. I invested years of research and practice with ink and brushes, taking inspiration from great artists such as Hokusai, Kuniyoshi, Hogan, and Yoshitoshi.

What I have presented in this exhibition is my take on some of my favourite iconography within Japanese paintings, woodblocks, and tattoos. Hopefully my works can shine some light on the powerful imagery that many people tattoo onto their skin, but more importantly the tradition, spirituality, and culture that they are derived from.

Shane Mankitya Cook also known as Kooka is a proud Wulli Wulli and Guwa (Koa) descendant from Queensland. Shane has been adopted by and was named Mankitya which translates to “the scarred one” by the local Aboriginal Kaurna community in Adelaide, South Australia and more specifically mentored by Jack Buckskin of Kuma Kaaru, who Shane has had the opportunity to dance internationally with.

Shanes practice as an artist began from a young age learning traditional painting from his mother, his interests then developed further into graffiti culture, street art and tattooing as he got older. These art movements are hugely prominent in Shane’s unique contemporary style he has developed which has led him to becoming a nationally recognised artist. Shane’s works of art know no material boundaries from working on canvas, to participating in street art festivals, artist exchanges internationally and creating large scale murals. He has designed Indigenous Round football guernseys for AFL and multiple SANFL teams. Painted over 50 players boots for the AFL Sir Douglas Nicholls Round and also created artwork for Anthony Mundine to be used for one of his last boxing fight kits.