Bio
Emi Kodama’s work explores the every day through stories that take shape in a multidisciplinary practice. Situated at the intersection of visual art and film, her work includes performance, installation, video, sound, photography, and drawing. Writing with a minimalism that emphasizes brevity and intensity, she attempts to be precise about the commonplace in a way that sheds new light on familiar objects and situations.
Originally from Vancouver (CA), Emi has been based in Belgium since 2008, where she graduated from the Higher Institute of Fine Art (HISK), a post-graduate program in Ghent. She has an MFA from the Frank Mohr Institute in Groningen (NL) and a BFA from ArtEZ Institute of the Arts in Enschede (NL).
Emi’s performances have been presented during festivals at Workspacebrussels (BE), Extra City (BE), and the Rotterdam Film Festival (NL). She has attended various residencies, which include Be-Part Platform for Contemporary Art (BE), Center for Art and Architecture Kanazawa (JP), and The Rooms (CA). She has worked in collaboration with artists such as Elias Heuninck for La Monnaie and Hans Demeulenaere for the Beursschouwburg. Her collection of short stories and drawings “If I Were You” was published by MER. Paper Kunsthalle in 2012.
Exhibitions, projects, residencies, and Screenings
2017
Dansand Festival, Mu.Zee, Ostend, BE
Artist-in-Residence, Art Centre BUDA, Kortrijk, BE
Art’s Birthday, M HKA, Antwerp, BE
2016
HISK Screening at Antwerp Art Weekend, Antwerp, BE
Artist-in-Residence, Vooruit, Ghent, BE
Words, Words, Words…, 252 cc – cultuurcentrum Ekeren, Ekeren, BE
The Image Generator II, Extra City, Antwerp, BE
You make a better door than you do a window, Beursschouwburg, Brussels, BE
Chambre D'O, Villa Elise, Ostend, BE
Art's Birthday, M HKA, Antwerp, BE
2015
Working Title Situation #02, Kaaistudio's, Brussels, BE
Artist-in-Residence, Workspacebrussels, Brussels, BE
Hors Pistes, Cinema Galeries, Brussels, BE
drawing a group show, GUS (Gallery University Stellenbosch), SA
Lodgers #1 – MER. Paper Kunsthalle, M HKA (Museum of Contemporary Art Antwerp), BE
24/7 program at the Rotterdam Film Festival, Hilton Hotel, Rotterdam, NL
2014
Geografiek, wpZimmer, Brussels, BE
First Art Kit, travelling project initiated in The Netherlands
Artist-in-Residence, Laforêt Family Summer Vacation Project, Ghiffa, IT
Medium of Everything, Zwarte Zaal at the Royal Academy of Fine Arts (KASK), Ghent, BE
And We Walk Towards the Sun, Claessens Canvas (organized by Be-Part, Platform for Contemporary Art for the Maart Kunstroute Waregem), Waregem, BE
A Map of Everything and Everywhere – Walks and Drawings, Extra City (organized by Liminal Consortium), Antwerp, BE
Performance in Audrey Cottin's “O.perating T.heatre Pompidou><S.M.A.K.”, SMAK, Ghent, BE
2013
Input/Output, Cultural Centre De Bond, Bruges, BE
A Map of Everything and Everywhere, These Things Take Time (TTTT) during The Big Draw, Ghent, BE
Artist-in-Residence, The Rooms Provincial Art Gallery Division, Gros Morne National Park, Newfoundland, CA
PA/PER VIEW – Art Book Fair, WIELS Contemporary Art Centre, Brussels, BE
2012
Ghent Art Week, Higher Institute for Fine Arts Advanced Studies & Practice-based Research in Visual Arts (HISK), Ghent, BE
Artist-in-Residence, Center for Art and Architecture (CAAK), Kanazawa, JP
Book presentation: If I Were You, Motto, Vancouver, CA
Book presentation: If I Were You, Théophile's Papers at Abilene Gallery, Brussels, BE
Bookshowbookshop: Belgian artists' books from Verheyen until today, Be-Part, Platform for Contemporary Art, Waregem, BE
DocHouse Mechelen #6, Kunstencentrum nOna, Mechelen, BE
2011
Radio Jonge Harten, Walnut Mixstore, Groningen, NL
Oh My Oh My: From the Annals of a Great Telepathic Affair, The Sober & Lonely Institute for Contemporary Art, Johannesburg, SA
Artist-in-residence, Be-Part, Platform for Contemporary Art, Waregem, BE
2010
From One Place to Another (in collaboration with Masashi Echigo), SECONDRoom Gent, BE
Colors for Daily Life, Wellside Gallery, Shanghai, CN
On Demand, Galerie Tegenboschvanvreden, Amsterdam, NL
Winners, BinLuPa, Zwevegem, BE
Found in Translation, Elaine Levy Project, Brussels, BE
2009
La Conquete de l'Espace: HISK Laureates Exhibition, Ghent, BE
Art is Only a Feeling, Your-Space, Eindhoven, NL
Exhibition in a Matchbox, EEN (Middelheimproductie), Antwerp, BE
Polyphonie: HISK in Watou, BE
De Keuze Van Koen Van Den Broek, Indian Caps, Antwerp, BE
Video screening, Cultuurcentrum Evergem, BE
2008
Video screening, Artcinema OffOff, Ghent, BE
Piece of the Pie, Academie Minerva, Groningen, NL
2007
Post Dordt, Centrum Beeldende Kunst, Dordrecht, NL
Day & Night: The Institute, Amicitia, Leeuwarden, NL
Tales from the Cyclops Library, Third Space Gallery, Saint John, CA
Mohr Players, DeFKa, Assen, NL
2005
Kunst in Unserer Region, DA Kunsthaus Kloster Gravenhorst, Horstel, DE
Amsterdam China Festival, Lloyd hotel/Cultural Embassy, NL
Noorderlicht, Galerie Sign, Groningen, NL
Cyclops Dreams, Access Artist Run Centre, Vancouver, CA
Steal My Idea Festival, De Balie, Amsterdam, NL
Contemporary Art Center, Dyarbakir, TR
Cinicville, Het Vijfde Seizoen, Altrecht, Den Dolder, NL
Via, Qidian Art Center, Quanzhou, China and Tan Kaa Kee College, Xiamen, CN
Publications
2012
If I Were You, artist book designed by Studio Luc Derycke, published by MER. Paper Kunsthalle, Ghent, BE
Education
January 2010 – Present
Doctorate in the Arts, University of Ghent and Royal Academy of Fine Arts (KASK), Ghent, BE
2008 – 2009
Laureate, Higher Institute for Fine Arts Advanced Studies & Practice-based Research in Visual Arts (HISK), Ghent, BE
2005 – 2007
Master of Fine Arts – Painting, Frank Mohr Institute, Hanze University, Groningen, NL
Feb – Apr 2007
Exchange Program, Hunter College, City University of New York, New York, US
2003 – 2004
Bachelor of Fine Arts – Photography, ArtEZ Institute of the Arts, Enschede, NL
1999 – 2003
Third-year Bachelor of Fine Arts – Photography, Emily Carr University of Art + Design, Vancouver, CA
Grants and Prizes
2016
Development grant, Arts and Heritage, Flemish Community, BE
2015
Development grant, Arts and Heritage, Flemish Community, BE
2014
Development grant, Arts and Heritage, Flemish Community, BE
2013
Winner of the Input/Output Award, Bruges, BE
2012
Project grant for artist residency at CAAK, Kanazawa, JP, Arts and Heritage, Flemish Community, BE
Travel grant for artist residency at CAAK, Kanazawa, JP, City of Ghent, BE
2010
Prijs Legaat Charles Deleu, Royal Academy of Fine Arts (KASK), Ghent, BE
2005
Project grant for Foto Manefestatie Noorderlicht, Klaas Dijkstra Fonds, Groningen, NL
Project grant for Foto Manefestatie Noorderlicht, Province of Groningen, NL
Travel grant for exhibition Via, City of Enschede, NL