Madoka Chiba exhibition “The Melting Point; In Fluctuating Stones”

Madoka Chiba, an artist living in Germany, visited Iceland this August to create works. Iceland, a volcanic island situated in the North Atlantic Ocean, was created from magma. Using a special lens and the energy of the sun, Chiba melted the volcanic rock of the region which had once been magma, and momentarily the dazzling red color was revived.

The appearance of rocks, which are at the foundation of people's everyday lives, melting creates a strong visual impact. We can imagine that the entire world originally had a different appearance. Furthermore, the act itself of melting rocks suggests the conduct of humans, who have become able to change nature.

This exhibition brings together and displays stones whose surfaces have been melted at around 1000 degrees and photographs of the process of melting volcanic rocks in Germany and other places. The artist shows the continuation of the cycle of magnificent materials throughout the long history of the earth, and also the possibility that man can accelerate the cycle of materials further through the power of science.

Madoka Chiba
1982: Born in Hokkaido, Japan
2007: BFA Sculpture , Tokyo University of the Arts
2009: MFA Sculpture , Tokyo University of the Arts
2009 - 10: Studied at University of Art Berlin
Two awards for honor from Tokyo University of the Arts in 2007. Award from juries of Maebashi Art Compe Live in 2011 (3rd. prize) and 2012 (Yasumasa Morimura prize).