Terumi Shimazu

Terumi Shimazu is a Japanese multi-disciplinary artist whose practice has evolved through a diverse international journey from Osaka and Tokyo to Los Angeles, eventually settling in Palermo, Sicily. Originally trained in fashion design, her artistic trajectory includes significant experiences in modeling, floral design and the performing arts, which continue to influence her visual language. Since relocating to Italy in 2022, she has returned to her foundational interest in painting, integrating it with a complex mixed media approach.

Her current work manifests as a fusion of painting and sculpture, primarily executed on wood supports. Shimazu incorporates a wide array of tactile materials, including fabrics, silk flowers, branches, stones, and shells, to create layered, dimensional compositions. This technical choice reflects her background in the fashion and floral industries, and her response to the rustic, historic environment of her Mediterranean surroundings.

Shimazu’s recent series focuses on themes of nostalgia, drawing from her childhood experiences in Japan and her affinity for mid-century aesthetics. Her compositions often reference her history as a kimono model and her early interest in the 1950s, blending these perso...