From Concordia to Tokyo

The pattern-adorned artwork of Natasha Mazurka, MFA 06, is on display at the Embassy of Canada in Japan.

Visitors can view her solo exhibition Recombinant at the Prince Takamado Gallery — within the Tokyo-based embassy — until November 21.

The display marks a collaboration between the Ottawa Art Gallery (OAG) and the Canadian ambassador’s office.

“The embassy took note of the art I had featured at the OAG last year,” the Department of Studio Arts graduate explains of the exhibit's origins. “I was asked to produce similar works for display in Japan.”

Mazurka flew from her home in Ottawa to help set up the space, before her September 24 opening.

The vinyl canvasses she helped mount were created by tracing landscape paintings by members of Canada’s Group of Seven.

“The results resemble Japanese-influenced western artworks of the 19th and 20th centuries,” says Mazurka.

“The project underscores how cultures and histories shape art and design.”

Mazurka is the sixth artist featured this year in the embassy’s public spaces, which include the gallery.

“It’s a way of fostering cultural exchange between the countries,” she says. “Many artists are exposed to important career opportunities through this initiative.”

Mazurka has been featured at the Patrick Mikhail Gallery and Gallery 101, both in Ottawa. She is coordinator of Algonquin College’s introductory fine arts program.