An Artist’s Unexpected Confrontation With Mortality

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The women who fill it resonate with the lone figure in “Bye Bye” who stands in a boat cropped by the painting’s left edge. Tabata’s introspective solitude leads her to an unexpected, even surprising confrontation with mortality. Asako Tabata, “Bye Bye” (2024), oil on canvasEven when she is dealing with loaded, familiar subjects, such as her mother’s death and her own mortality, Tabata never checks the expected boxes. Her outlined figure in “Bye Bye” is both particular and anonymous. Installation view of Asako Tabata: Waiting for Bones at Seizan Gallery, New YorkAsako Tabata: Waiting for Bones continues at Seizan Gallery (525 West 26th Street, Chelsea, Manhattan) through October 18.