Manami Ishimura was born and grew up in Tokyo, Japan. She completed the BFA degree at Tama university in Japan, and graduated with an MFA from Texas A&M Corpus Christi in 2018. Her works have been exhibited at Wichita Falls Museum of Art, Tokyo Metropolitan Art Museum, 3331, Denchutei, Tama Art University gallery, Ginza Seido gallery, etc. Her works have also been displayed at art fairs such as Art Kyoto, Art Osaka, and Aosando Art Fair in Japan. Ishimura participated in the Biwaco biennale in 2016 in Japan and was also artist in residence at Yumikobo in Okayama. In the residency, she demonstrated how to make a ball of sand using the traditional methods employed by Japanese plasterers. In addition, Ishimura has organized and coordinated group exhibitions in Japan.
Before coming to the United States, Ishimura’s artworks were made from both organic materials and artificial ones such as glue, resin, and plastic. Ishimura uses these contrasting materials and their relationships to represent the essence of “existence” in between the inanimate and the organism, expressing themes of life and death, substance and emptiness. Each side of the divide is connected to the other with a beautiful natural dynamism. To express this dynamism, her process uses repetitive movements as a method to create a representation of a meditative-like state.
Since coming to the United States, Ishimura’s works have evolved to incorporate social and cultural elements. Ishimura believes an appreciation of the beautiful dynamism between self and others can work to address social and political conflicts.