Talley Dunn Gallery is pleased to announce an exhibition of new work by Dallas-based artist, Kana Harada. Kana Harada: SANCTUARY will open with a reception for the artist on Saturday, March 10th from 6:00 to 8:00 pm and will be on view in the Project Gallery through April 21, 2018.

The exhibition features thirteen intricate watercolor paintings on cut and collaged watercolor from a new body work inspired by a sanctuary at the foot of Mt. Fuji in Japan. According to the artist, “Once every month, for over 30 years, thousands of people of all faiths, nationalities and backgrounds gather outside in rain, snow, storms, wind or sun and pray for peace and a brighter future for each and every country around the world. I wanted to share the serene yet powerful beauty and joy I always experience visually and spiritually at the site.” While Harada is probably best known in the US for her sculptures made from intricately cut and meticulously assembled foam sheets, her first love was drawing and her watercolors are widely collected in Japan. The pieces in SANCTUARY represent a marriage of these practices in which intricately cut paper reminiscent of her sculptural work is layered over brilliantly colored paintings.  The cut paper forms are both familiar and fantastic. Seeming at once ancient and futuristic, they populate their watercolor worlds. Harada once said that her work embodies her “wish for peace and love for humanity, mother earth and the universe.” SANCTUARY is a continuation of this mindset that absolutely delivers. Seen together, the effect is uplifting – even inspirational. Harada’s work has always been strongly tied to the ethos of the artist herself and to her art making philosophy: to spread joy with and through art.

Born in Tokyo, Japan, Harada studied graphic design, Japanese fine art, and drawing  at Ochanomizu School of Fine Arts, Tokyo, Japan. Harada has had solo exhibitions at The Dallas Center for Contemporary Art; the Fort Worth Community Art Center; the McKinney Avenue Contemporary, Dallas; the Promo-arte Project Gallery, Tokyo; Mighty Fine Arts Gallery, Dallas; Koelsch Gallery, Houston; The Old Jail Art Center, Albany, Texas; and, most recently, at Talley Dunn Gallery, Dallas.Harada’s work is also represented in the collections of the Trammell and Margaret Crow Collection of Asian Art, Dallas, Texas and The Old Jail Art Center, Albany, Texas.