Levels 7-8

Explore creative wordplay in the Japanese language with artist Kyoko Imazu. Gain insight into how Kyoko’s professional artistic practice is informed by language and poetry and use linguistic activities and word games to inspire your own creative response to the NGV Collection.

Learning Objectives 

• Read and interpret pieces of Japanese poetry 
• Identify and describe the relationship between language and image in a range of artworks from the NGV Collection 
• Develop confidence translating and understanding new words in Japanese 
• Produce and illustrate a glossary of Japanese onomatopoeia  

About the Artist

Kyoko Imazu is a Japanese artist based in Melbourne, whose practice encompasses a range of mediums such as printmaking, papercut, puppetry and installation, bookbinding and ceramics. Her work tells the stories of our often-overlooked neighbours like the weeds, bugs and pebbles that fill our everyday lives. She explores her own memories with the stories of these tiny neighbours to try to make sense of the world we live in and imagine the worlds we cannot see with our own eyes. She regularly exhibits her work nationally and internationally. Her works are held in collections at numerous public and private collections.

This program is part of Creative Catalyst, a program for high ability students attending Victorian Government schools.