Artist Statement/ Biography

I am interested in how a community could form and function where there’s no central power to thrive. Exploring the non-hierarchical system of social insects (especially ants) and their biological altruistic characteristics within their female-dominated society, I attempt to acknowledge my paradoxical phobia for insects and challenge my own vulnerability as a human, drawing a parallel with the life of an insect. Through creating environments for habitation, sculptural garments/bags and masks that serve as my protective gear, I disguise myself as an insect queen, performing a ritualistic play of surrendering her “powerless” body to the habitat.

--

aricoco (Ari Tabei) is an interdisciplinary visual artist based in NYC who was born and raised in Tokyo. She received M.F.A. in sculpture and video performance art from the University of Connecticut in 2007. aricoco’s last solo exhibition at La MaMa Galleria presented her performance project supported by Franklin Furnace Fund in 2018. She was awarded LMCC Creative Engagement Fund and created a virtual runway-performance show in 2020. In 2021, she received New York City Artist Corps Grant to continue working on her socially-engaged collaborative project PIPORNOT. Most recently, aricoco has received SU-CASA residency program as well as ChaShaMa Immigrant Artist Fellowship, which supports her upcoming solo exhibition at one of their presentation spaces.