Voss Gallery presents “Kami/髪/神,” a solo exhibition of figurative illustrations by Maya Fuji that reimagines the Japanese folklore belief that a woman’s hair is interconnected to one’s spirit, soul, and energy.

The exhibition is on view May 27 - July 2, 2022. Wear your artsy best and join us for an opening reception with the artist on Friday, May 27, 6-9PM. Gallery hours are Wednesday-Saturday, 12-6PM or by appointment.

“I think in many cultures there are beliefs that hair has a spiritual significance, and it's the same in Japan. In the Shinto religion, the longer and healthier the hair is, the more spiritual. Oftentimes, the hair is considered a representation of that person, and when someone passes away at war for example, people used to cut a bit of their hair off and bring it back to the family.

On the other hand, in Feng Shui and in Japanese folklore, hair is where people store energy–be it positive or negative. Cutting your hair is considered a way to shed negative energy and bad luck so one should time their trims wisely. Hair also appears in many old ghost tales in Japan, where there's a vengeful woman's spirit haunting towns with her hair. In this series I wanted to explore the significance of hair in Japanese culture by painting a bunch of strong women with flowing hair, being playful and powerful.”–Maya Fuji

MAYA FUJI (b. Kanazawa, Japan, 1988) is a new contemporary artist based in San Francisco, CA. Her vibrant illustrative works are influenced by her cultural heritage as well as the local microcosms of the SF Bay Area. She is fascinated by themes of traditional Japanese mythology and folklore, and blends these with her own experiences of being issei (first generation) in the United States. A recurring theme in her work is the exploration of what creates our sense of identity, and how that can shift over ones life. Soft feminine figures float through her work, encompassing abstraction, texture, vulnerability, and mystique. She layers pops of color and shape to explore themes of passing time, and to contemplate hidden meanings in the lore of her ancestors. Each piece has a story to tell—historical legends, lessons and ghost stories of the floating world era, reimagined through the lens of the digital age.