Artist Spotlight: Kei Ito

"Our Looming Ground Zero 1" by Kei Ito pictured above.

Kei Ito is a visual artist based in Baltimore, Maryland. “I am a visual artist working primarily with installation art and camera-less photography who is living and working in Baltimore, MD. I received my BFA from Rochester Institute of Technology followed by the MFA from Maryland Institute College of Art in 2016.” You can view Kei’s portfolio, read more about him, and more at his website, www.kei-ito.com.

Kei was inspired to begin creating art by his determination to capture the unseen. “To create my project, I mainly utilize cameraless photography, which is, instead of making images with a camera, I use experimental darkroom techniques or modified historical archives to create my artwork. This practice came to me when I realized, if a camera is a tool that captures something that’s in front of you; then how do I capture something invisible, such as radiation, trauma, memory and the liminal space between life and death; my answer was to get rid of the camera and use the most basic element of photography, light and shadow.” As an artist, Kei enjoys the process of creating pieces that start conversations about social issues. “Many of my artworks can transform both art and non-art spaces into temporal monuments that became platforms for the audience to explore social issues and the memorials dedicated to the losses suffered from the consequences of those issues.”

"Our Looming Ground Zero 2" by Kei Ito pictured above.

Kei is often inspired by the work of Christian Baltanski when creating a piece. “Any of Christian Baltanski's artwork influenced me as who I am as an artist. The scale, the atmosphere but most of all, it's his celebration of life by confronting the idea of death/trauma is what makes him one of the greatest artists.” In his own work, Kei sees each piece as a "self-portrait". “I consider many of my artwork "self-portraits", even though most of the artworks take abstract form. This is crucial in my art-making since many of my artworks are reflections of what I witness, both past and present (and perhaps future).” 

"Under My Skin 6" by Kei Ito pictured above.

When beginning a new project or piece, Kei roots his work in stories. “Many of my projects begin with researching and collecting stories. It's not only the story from my family, but also many other people who have suffered from any nuclear related issue worldwide, including a group of American nuclear weapon victims who were exposed to radiation during the testing of nuclear weapons called Downwinders. By doing so, I bridge the gaps between cultures and find some mutual understanding.” 

"Shadow Assembly - Life" (right) and "Shadow Assembly - Life (detail)" (left) by Kei Ito pictured above.

To aspiring artists, Kei offers, “A photographic print can be more than just a 2 dimensional piece; by framing it and juxtaposing it with an object, you can make them into a sculpture, or even installation.” Kei found Golden State Art when searching for picture frames online. “I first purchased a Golden State Art frame on Amazon, and fell in love with them then. I've already bought 150+ frames from Golden State Art (both from the website and Amazon store). The affordability and sturdy construction of the frames helped me create many large scale artwork both in 2D and installation form.” He is currently working on an exhibition set to launch in 2023. “I am working on a solo exhibition at Museums in Colorado and Louisiana in 2023 incorporating many framed artwork/installations similar to my previous works. I hope to use Golden State Art's Frame to make this exhibition into a reality.”

To keep up with this and Kei's future work, visit his links below: 

Kei's Website: www.kei-ito.com

Kei's Instagram: @kei.ito.art