Biography
In her paintings stroke by stroke, Maya Nishiyama visualizes what she feels, captivating her feelings behind the faces of others. While drawing, she processes her memories and impressions.
Her portraits show ephemeral moments in a faster flowing world, idealized pictures of women with an absent look.
Her works are images of this long and partially unconscious process: abstract, monochrome surfaces contrasted with photo-realistic portraits of self-confident and modern women, wearing elegant Kimonos; this is where dream meets reality. The longing for her childhood in her Japanese home country speaks out of them. In her pictures of children Nishiyama also reflect the manifolds facets of a childhood: The pursuit of appealing to the parents, the fun in playing piano; some mirror easiness, curiosity and vitality while playing in nature, others show fragility and loneliness.
Consciously she holds up harmonic ideals to enrich her present and to create a fictitious past.
1955 born in Yamaguchi/Japan
1974-76 study of western painting at the University of arts Osaka/Japan
1976 German studies at the Goetheinstitut in Rothenburg o.d.T. and Göttingen, Germany
1977-87 studies of fine arts at the university of arts in Kassel, Germany at Prof. Kurt Haug, finalized with diploma in painting
since 1990 working as self-employed artist