iris issen

Iris Issen is a contemporary abstract painter who was born in Tokyo, Japan and raised up in London, UK. Having grown up under the influence of both Japanese and British aesthetics, her paintings appreciate the oriental philosophy of wabi-sabi while paying homage to the modern interpretation of space...

Iris Issen is a contemporary abstract painter who was born in Tokyo, Japan and raised up in London, UK. Having grown up under the influence of both Japanese and British aesthetics, her paintings appreciate the oriental philosophy of wabi-sabi while paying homage to the modern interpretation of space, geometry, and emotions. Her distinctive personal style and celebration of the traditional colours of Japan emanates self-nature and inner peace and express how she perceives loss snd regeneration of life.

The way Iris tells stories in her paintings is greatly influenced by her parents. While her mother is an artist who specialises in the Japanese art of flower arrangement, her father has a passion for the Way of Tea and calligraphy. Hence, although Iris’ works are characterised by the wabi-sabi aesthetics of impermanence, transience, roughness, and intimacy, her use of colour in subtle beige and earthy tones reflects her appreciation of the strength of natural objects and their organic textures.

Iris’ artwork has been shown in personal exhibitions in Shanghai, China and London, UK, and one of her paintings was featured by the Process Magazine. As a blooming young artist, she is also pursuing a Ph.D. degree in Philosophy at Waseda university alongside her art activities in order to further broaden her understandings towards the philosophical expressions of her art.