studioe
Ko Kirk Yamahira
Bio/CV | Website | #kokirkyamahira
EXHIBITIONS
Seattle Art Fair, 2023
Ko Kirk Yamahira Solo: November 5 - December 3, 2022, studio e, Seattle WA
THE THIRD MEANING: ESTAR(SER), OCT 2023 - OCT 2024, Frye Art Musuem, Seattle WA
Emily Counts & Ko Kirk Yamahira, July 17 — Aug 29, 2020, studio e
Fiber, March 6 — Sept 27, 2020, Bainbridge Island Museum of Art
Link Ko Kirk’s installation at The Bellevue Arts Museum
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“The obsession of pursuit of the meaning is unlocked by the pure enjoyment of the creative act.”
Ko Kirk Yamahira has made a practice of unravelling painted canvases resulting in sculptural pieces that are extra-dimesional. In some sense the work resides in the interstitial space between two dimensional painting and three dimensional sculpture – a performance process, albeit one where the viewer only gets to watch what’s left after the delicate, intuitive separation of warp and weft. His is a process of inversion: image becoming shape, surface becoming form, the sensual drape inherent in textile formed by working backwards. The resulting fluidity gives us a glimpse of a fourth dimension: still things are seen as in motion across time.
Born in Los Angeles and raised in Tokyo and London, Ko Kirk Yamahira moved to Seattle from New York in 2015. He has exhibited in galleries in the United States and Japan, both individually and as a member of the artist collectives SOIL and Art Beasties. His work is in numerous private, corporate, civic and museum collections, and has received several recognition awards.
Ko Kirk Yamahira lives and works in Seattle, WA.
Bio/CV | Website | #kokirkyamahira
EXHIBITIONS
Seattle Art Fair, 2023
Ko Kirk Yamahira Solo: November 5 - December 3, 2022, studio e, Seattle WA
THE THIRD MEANING: ESTAR(SER), OCT 2023 - OCT 2024, Frye Art Musuem, Seattle WA
Emily Counts & Ko Kirk Yamahira, July 17 — Aug 29, 2020, studio e
Fiber, March 6 — Sept 27, 2020, Bainbridge Island Museum of Art
Link Ko Kirk’s installation at The Bellevue Arts Museum
![](https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/1b670c79b5480c9e3b37f78602c3cec5248392a94ce281b8be0dfe5da7758012/Screen-Shot-2024-04-06-at-2.51.13-PM.png)
“The obsession of pursuit of the meaning is unlocked by the pure enjoyment of the creative act.”
Ko Kirk Yamahira has made a practice of unravelling painted canvases resulting in sculptural pieces that are extra-dimesional. In some sense the work resides in the interstitial space between two dimensional painting and three dimensional sculpture – a performance process, albeit one where the viewer only gets to watch what’s left after the delicate, intuitive separation of warp and weft. His is a process of inversion: image becoming shape, surface becoming form, the sensual drape inherent in textile formed by working backwards. The resulting fluidity gives us a glimpse of a fourth dimension: still things are seen as in motion across time.
Born in Los Angeles and raised in Tokyo and London, Ko Kirk Yamahira moved to Seattle from New York in 2015. He has exhibited in galleries in the United States and Japan, both individually and as a member of the artist collectives SOIL and Art Beasties. His work is in numerous private, corporate, civic and museum collections, and has received several recognition awards.
Ko Kirk Yamahira lives and works in Seattle, WA.
![Untitled, 2024, H63 x W65 inches as shown (dimensions variable) Acrylic, graphite, partially unwoven canvas, wood](https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/e0e915c76dcc8a3e27d0af82ac6dfe69f14e2816ce206a6d124e4b8b29b380be/kokrikyamahira--Untitled--2024-H63-x-W65-inches-as-shown-dimensions-variable--Acrylic--graphite--partially-unwoven-canvas--wood.jpg)
![Untitled, 2024, Acrylic, graphite, partially unwoven linen, wood, H38 x W26 x D5.5 in.](https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/8b3f46a98e70f91cf05121e0630fbc2f378ea08de2e16a7dbac9a34a9a54c6c6/kokirkyamahira-image-1.jpg)
![Untitled, 2023, (KK168), Acrylic graphite, partially unwoven canvas, wood 64 x 62 in. (dimensions variable) (KK168)](https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/92256a4c2e25a7efa1c99e29006a65e10de7a76c4f863377b3993301a30182cc/ko-kirk-yamahira-painting-seattle-art-fair-2023.jpg)
![Seattle Art Fair, 2023](https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/11a15c2183547ab20770f1b5b88b22e214a31adaba09e9b1fdd823b187c372eb/ko-kirk-yamahira-studio-e-gallery-seattleartfair2023.jpg)
![Untitled (KK148*, 149, 150), 2022, Acrylic, graphite, partially unwoven canvas, wood, H44 x W36 in. as shown (dimensions variable)](https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/37693c9f2b9766765434a5d398b31489771977543ff67225cceab5bb6d76605a/ko-kirk-yamahira-painting-118-119-120.jpg)
![Untitled (KK162), 2022, Acrylic, graphite, partially unwoven canvas, H50 x W40 in. as shown (dimensions variable)](https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/dc0290c9850b20ecc789cfc6c1f05d4702f43be2564cb8982d47b31e91f6dce8/ko-kirk-yamahira-painting-122.jpg)
![Untitled (KK161), 2022, Acrylic, graphite, partially unwoven canvas, H50 x W40 in. as shown (dimensions variable)](https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/02a386b1d9347bd8777c32b6443e9785f88e520f740860a0a52d968e71e0b513/ko-kirk-yamahira-painting-121.jpg)
![Untitled (KK166), 2022, Acrylic, graphite, partially unwoven canvas, wood, H63 x W48 in. as shown (*)](https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/f332d61d941482ea31e22f07aef2d5227c6a85784d608e85278770cea3d0ff89/ko-kirk-yamahira-painting-115.jpg)
![Untitled (KK164), 2022, Shred threads from unwoven canvas, wood, H19 x W13 in.](https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/40532696001a6d07f752b85c13a18e36a36528fd9901e461b9f37c200a70f8df/ko-kirk-yamahira-painting-123.jpg)
![Untitled (KK165) 2022, Acrylic, graphite, partially unwoven canvas, wood, 42 x 64 as shown (dimensions variable) (*)](https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/4ec68daf3eb0f87dfe7956c0bd4bebf12b0d736189ee18d38cf34ef297cadb28/ko-kirk-yamahira-painting-116.jpg)
![Untitled (KK163), 2022, Acrylic, partially unwoven canvas, wood, 23 x 33 in. (dimensions variable)](https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/35df106d32462fa8b85c14a310fa4693f6fb0684b718304ff429b5b69c17a09d/ko-kirk-yamahira-painting-113a.jpg)
![Untitled (KK160), 2022, Acrylic, Graphite, partially unwoven canvas, wood, H57 x W57 in. as shown (dimensions variable)](https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/838a9ac99754efc4a78e33421429f39e53637afee579886be558a12a8cf55cff/ko-kirk-yamahira-painting-114.jpg)
![Untitled 2022 H76 x W83 in. as shown (dimensions variable) acrylic, graphite, partially unwoven canvas, wood (s)](https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/37798b8b2a1234249c34d3b092ea15ad109e005d0d94f2ab3df200cbcfc10cd1/ko-kirk-yamahira-painting-117.jpg)
![Untitled (KK147), 2022, Graphite, partially unwoven canvas, wood, H48 x W119 in. as shown](https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/88eaac4a85a610b2c840b3b783d079e98ce2d7101367a5e4371d025cf949627c/k9.jpg)
![Untitled (KK133) 2021, Acrylic, graphite, partially unwoven canvas, H41 x W41 in. as shown (dimensions variable)](https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/5922e2fdf1bc9856d1987b6f8b12180272e3c8ac81c211727ad83123ec720d1a/ko-kirk-yamahira-painting-deluge-contemporary-art-gallery-3.jpg)
![SOIL gallery, June 2021, Seattle, Wa](https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/44c083e74e1786200289821756260586218bbd6f899c706d455bc5d8dc446d53/ko-kirk-yamahira-painting-102-installation.jpg)
![Untitled (KK146), 2021, Acrylic, graphite, partially unwoven canvas, wood, H9 x W32 in. as shown (s)](https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/3bf5139083a04727becde2e3bb48621f774947ef6077dd9b099916aef7be6e59/ko-kirk-yamahira-painting-100.jpg)
![Untitled (KK145), 2021, Acrylic, graphite, partially unwoven canvas, wood, H13.5 x W12.5 in. as shown (dimensions variable)](https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/4651d0260d7acc6f6e448d356e940bf871654dc63bbbf886ac5d879439031470/ko-kirk-yamahira-painting-102.jpg)
![Untitled (KK144), 2021, Acrylic, graphite, partially unwoven canvas, wood, H57 x W7 in. as shown (dimensions variable)](https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/2fa0e17b8aa030fe9c2e160378ad74de8aac7627da7e3882e15b9585b2ef651d/ko-kirk-yamahira-painting-101.jpg)
![Untitled (KK143), 2021, Acrylic, graphite, partially unwoven canvas, wood, H16 x 60 in. as shown (dimensions variable)](https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/c46e64b9ffdff94cf83f6f4c81f9df48bdb6fee9a7c7a6b631cb959fe764b497/ko-kirk-yamahira-painting-99.jpg)
![Untitled (KK142), 2020, Ink, graphite, partially unwoven canvas, wood, 24 x 13 5/8 x 1 in. as shown (dimensions variable)](https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/184d54175c7dbad97be6a691477e2e04812a65cf11b634b71c46f2d4836e5523/ko-kirk-yamahira-painting-a.jpg)
![Emily Counts & Ko Kirk Yamahira, 2019](https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/3da75034474a8237be36c547957ab9dc3d3e61759284e5bc33dd3de57451878a/ko-kirk-yamahira-painting-studio-e-p.jpg)
![Untitled, 2020, Acrylic, graphite, partially unwoven canvas, wood, 80 x 90 in. as shown (sold)](https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/7376ea006b76206c1eef62483365472842c5a2a431c199f5fe5315296ce0ba54/ko-kirk-yamahira-painting-96.jpg)
![Untitled (KK141), 2020, Acrylic, graphite, partially unwoven canvas, wood, 60 x 100 in. as shown (dimensions variable)](https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/d0b53170809833cab14cb09b430d94873d08c60e38a48306eb261f14efbbb850/ko-kirk-yamahira-painting-91.jpg)
![Untitled Cyan (KK140) & Untitled Yellow (KK139), 2020, Acrylic, graphite, partially unwoven canvas, wood, 30 x 30 in. (each)](https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/b3b4bb180cfd79c617fd208b2eaccc351aef0762eaa6bf278bbc55808c2ba537/ko-kirk-yamahira-painting-93.jpg)
![Untitled (KK138), 2020, Acrylic, graphite, partially unwoven canvas, galvanized nail, wood, 43.5 x 50 in.](https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/0399d02e6f62f66907deeae4d82e9581e8b8c4900c6b16568e1eb528039c3d75/ko-kirk-yamahira-painting-94.jpg)
![Untitled (KK137), 2020, Acrylic, graphite, partially unwoven canvas, wood, 49 in. dia.](https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/1495f48a6c92159fbfcc7b8f46117ab924026ee78055414f185ad90ad280856a/ko-kirk-yamahira-painting-92.jpg)
![Untitled (KK136), 2020, Acrylic, graphite, partially unwoven canvas, wood, 36 x 36 in.](https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/0a9cef5e082483a9feddf749f3ed1cafb936ba34d1f014a3f3e738b321577abc/ko-kirk-yamahira-painting-95.jpg)
![Untitled (KK135), 2020, Acrylic, graphite, partially unwoven canvas, galvanized nail, wood, 36 x 139 x 6.5 in.](https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/85f3d5ee0d2e98407658c77de91b53b9f5ebdf49145e0e75d3cff9265a0d3f33/ko-kirk-yamahira--97.jpg)
![Untitled (KK134), 2020, Acrylic, graphite, partially unwoven canvas, wood, 51 in. dia.](https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/22eae2106f2f6500d3ee18bf5c37d99a66d69ce7acb97699285cf33b9bc1fd8d/ko-kirk-yamahira-painting-90.jpg)
![Untitled (KK132), 2017, Acrylic, graphite, silkscreen, partially unwoven canvas, wood, 73 x 50 in.](https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/5292d599736040b505af8111b56115ea0ca519b8445e15ba2299c387040b9380/ko-kirk-yamahira-painting-28.jpg)
![Meta, Bellevue WA](https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/f94e41f78dd8fdae55dc0877508e432d071c1c57ffae4d61cbcdc92ff091acdb/OpenArts-2021-BEL1288-KoKirkYamahira-Final-33.jpg)
![Meta, Bellevue WA](https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/8541b27e420cc2310ceef0b8cd47ca9219fb200a5269b2371542b10841c44130/OpenArts-2021-BEL1288-KoKirkYamahira-Final-13.jpg)
![Meta, Bellevue WA](https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/03e1596d726c6b92f9c20c5da9014ae4b19a177158b3b8cdfc0a7d6a5253ebb2/OpenArts-2021-BEL1288-KoKirkYamahira-Final-25.jpg)
![Meta, Bellevue WA](https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/5532b95f5fb8979e4352dc3af146b59181852850d273333e58f0bf3944727fcc/OpenArts-2021-BEL1288-KoKirkYamahira-Final-19.jpg)