Takaya Miou
Higher Love (Angeliseraphim)
Japan, 1999

Drawing (genga), ink and screen-tone on Kent paper
Collection of the artist (L.2016-16.08)
© Takaya Miou, 1999

In Higher Love (Angeliseraphim), Takaya juxtaposes a six-winged seraphim with a filigreed halo and a bob-haired, adolescent angel, framing them with erratic strands of black ivy. Though drawing from images frequently found in popular culture, Takaya presents them in creative, ironic ways that challenge the viewers’ expectations, thwart simplistic narrative interpretations, and command our attention.