NEW YORK, N.Y.- Mike Weiss Gallery presents its first solo exhibition by Japanese artist KAORUKO. Aromako, a play on words combining the artist’s name and visual theme of the work, explores the complexity of the modern Japanese woman in terms of her relationship with herself and tradition. Using acrylic paint, traditional sumi calligraphy techniques and silk screened kimono patterns, KAORUKO creates large-scale paintings which depict women in their private domestic spaces. Drawing upon both the rich cultural history of her homeland as well as her experiences as a former Japanese pop star, KAORUKO’s female figures are set against highly codified motifs sourced from traditional woodblock prints and Japanese textiles. The luscious hues, and flattened planes of KAORUKO’s paintings are frequently inspired by the Ukiyo-e ‘floating world’ prints of the Edo period, and her inclusion of