“In and Out of the Blue” Solo Exhibit by Misako OBA

On view @W83 from Friday, May 2 to Sunday, June 8, 2025

ARTIST TALK: Thursday, May 29 from 7 to 8 pm | Doors open at 6 :30 pm:

exhibit statement

The Gallery at W83 Ministry Center presents “In and Out of the Blue”, an exhibition that features the artwork created by Misako OBA; a compilation of visual diaries of both observed and lived moments. Some scenes evoke a striking emotional response, while others offer a window into more introspective experiences—each rich in color, visual and emotional intensity.

“In and Out of the Blue” explores and reflects on the emotional and spiritual aftermath of life’s most unexpected and turbulent events—those that arrive “out of the blue.”

Drawing on personal experience and a deep empathy for others, the artist presents a series of layered works exploring grief, resilience, and renewal.

Through a fusion of ancient techniques and contemporary materials, encaustic alongside poetry, scientific data, and code, her work reflects on the fragility of existence, the strength of the human spirit, and the search for meaning amid chaos.

The exhibition reimagines “blue” as emotion, color, and metaphor—honoring the beauty, sorrow, and inner power of our human and spiritual journeys. “In and Out of the Blue” also stands as a tribute to the strength of those who support us through life’s darkest moments. It celebrates the kindness that nurtures healing and the communities that uplift us.

Misako’s exhibition invites us to find solace, renewal, and solidarity —and reminds us that through empathy and collective life moments, we can rebuild not only ourselves but the communities we call home.

Curated by Adriana Caicedo

artist statement

What do you do when you feel blue, overwhelmed, or lost? How do you deal with the pain or move forward after losing something or someone you love?

Life often unfolds through turbulence. Unexpected tragedies arrive ‘out of the blue,’ sometimes one after another. Accidents, illness, terrorism, natural disasters, climate-related floods, and wildfires... Even as we overcome them, new challenges emerge. I knew these moments intimately. They are more than challenging, yet they reveal profound truths. Through visual metaphor, I translate my personal experience and deep empathy for others into works that reflect universal emotions—grief, anger, confusion, acceptance, hope, peace, love, gratitude, and joy. The body of my work explores human life as a journey. It is a deep examination of our souls and emotions. It also depicts the beauty of life with its transient nature and something larger than ourselves, reflecting light in the darkness and my perspectives. While science uncovers, there is still something beyond human understanding. In my mixed media, I integrate both ancient and contemporary elements in one piece; layering ancient medium encaustic, timeless verses, scientific data, and modern coding languages that correlate with the stars, the universe, and our existence, inviting viewers to explore the meaning and the source of life. These artworks are also meant to honor those who have endured tears, carrying the weight of experience. Like layered paintings, they hold profound inner beauty.

Blue has long been my signature color, though in recent years I started to use green and amber as well. Blue "in and out." The title has multiple meanings.

This exhibition reveals how I navigated and transformed "blues"—colors, feelings, and tragic experiences through art. It features selections from my Stars and Desert and How Can You Show Love...? (climate change-related) series, alongside gelatin prints from my early photographic work, El Camino – Beyond the Tunnel. These pieces, though created at different times, share a common theme: loss and grief yet light, hope, and love. Revisiting past works, I found their concepts remain timeless, transcending space and time. I am also pleased to present never-before-shown pieces with fresh energy.

In Stars and Desert, I reflect on biblical verses mentioning stars and the desert—you may find hidden text and codes within the art. The concept includes transformation: from despair to acknowledgment, healing, and renewal. Additionally, select works from FAUSTUS series, a turning point in my journey as a photographer to a visual artist, highlight the blessings found in loss. This path was never my plan, but I was led by light, art, blue, stars, love, and disastrous hardships—which I can even consider gifts from God. It all began with tragedies that arrived out of the blue.

about the artist

Visual artist Misako OBA was born and raised in Japan. Her artworks, including award-winning works, have been internationally exhibited at galleries and art fairs in France, Belgium, Germany, Japan, and throughout the United States. Her creations are held in private, corporate, and museum collections such as in the Maison Européenne de la Photographie, the Bibliothèque Nationale de France in Paris as a part of their national permanent collections, and in the Museum of Encaustic in the United States. OBA is a late starter in the art field. As a child, she had no interest in visual art. Her early career was in broadcasting as newscaster and reporter in Japan and New York, and in print media as a photographer and an editor. Her responsibility involved film photo direction which first gave her an appreciation of the power of visual imagery. She encountered personal tragedies, including the loss of her child, followed by her own near-death experience. A year later, another incident caused her to develop double vision when looking up with both eyes. The failure of a vision-recovery surgery further damaged a nerve in her cheek, resulting in chronic pain in her right cheek. That same year, she endured many other disastrous experiences. Despite these challenges, OBA recovered emotionally rather quickly. The experiences became one of the reasons for her to switch her focus and career from journalism to art in positive ways. She initially launched her art career specializing in photography, including traditional gelatin silver prints and toning. However, after another ordeal when she lost her right pinkie, her professional repertoire has since evolved from sole photography to mixed-media painting incorporating encaustic, oil, printmaking, text, and Japanese paper in compositions relevant to each series’ concept. She studied photography and other media in a graduate program in the United States and completed additional studies in France and Japan. She is the recipient of several awards including some first prizes in International competitions and funded Artist-in-Residency programs. Her art has been used for the cover of books and music albums. OBA has presented artist talks and lectures to MFA students and the general public internationally, including at the State University in New York and Yong-In University in South Korea.

Artbook publications include the monograph “PACTUM” (2011), “Gift of Loss” (2011), “FAUSTUS” (2014), and handcrafted artist books “Beyond Time Waka Poem” (2021), “Cry For Love” (2020-2023), “Blue – Look UP! What Do You See…?” (2024).

ARTWORKS ON DISPLAY ARE FOR SALE

Please contact the artist directly to inquire about availability, pricing, and the purchase process:

email: contactmisako@gmail.com

Web: misakooba.com

Instagram: @misakoobaart

Wordpress: https://misakooba.wordpress.com/about/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MisakoArt/

about the gallery

At the Gallery at W83, we cultivate art and community on the Upper West Side, providing space for personal engagement, community conversations, and spiritual reflection, and collaborate with local artists from diverse backgrounds to explore universal themes of culture, community, and faith.

We bring together different perspectives in this space as an invitation to join in conversations we believe are vital to us all. We affirm the artist's right to express their views independently, and the views expressed by the artists are their own and do not necessarily represent the Gallery at W83 or Redeemer West Side.