Ayako Bando
Ayako Bando, born in Tokushima, Japan, is a New York–based artist whose work bridges Eastern sensitivity and Western modernism. Educated in Osaka, London, Tokyo, and New York, she draws inspiration from Wassily Kandinsky and the rhythms of nature. Her ongoing Eternal Light Series—begun in 2014—explores the soul as an inner light and nature’s elements as symbols of purity, hope, and transformation. Through layered compositions of acrylic, oil, and washi paper collage, Bando creates luminous works that embody resilience and renewal. Her honors include the Japan Art Academy Award and the Facilitator Award presented by MoMA curator Paulina Pobocha.
Eternal Light: The Art of Ayako Bando
By Sfumato
Ayako Bando’s solo exhibition, Eternal Light: The Art of Ayako Bando, presents a decade-long journey into the essence of light, spirit, and hope. Rooted in her belief that the soul endures as an eternal flame, Bando’s works reflect the dialogue between inner light and the natural world. The series began with meditations on the four seasons and has since evolved into layered compositions of acrylic, oil, and delicately hand-torn washi paper. Each collage breathes new life into fragments of her past works, symbolizing memory’s transformation into new beginnings. The addition of coral-colored grounds in her latest works infuses the canvases with warmth, evoking connection, kindness, and the vitality of the sea. Central to the series are irises, whose language of flowers signifies hope—the strength to overcome destiny. For Bando, hope is both a personal mantra and a universal force. Her art is not merely an aesthetic experience but an invitation: to remember our inner purity, to find renewal in the cycles of nature, and to let our inner light resonate with the sun’s eternal glow.
Through her art, Ayako Bando illuminates a path of resilience and compassion, reminding us that even in times of shadow, the soul continues to shine.
