ARTIST
TOKIKO ISHIGURO FRODE
Art at the Plaza
Tokiko Ishiguro Frode - "Love"
Tokiko Ishiguro Frode is a Japanese-Swedish artist based on the island of Öland, who often collaborates with her life partner, artist Hans Frode. She has developed a unique artistic style that combines traditional Japanese techniques with contemporary artistic expression.
Through her origami-inspired paper installations and glass works, she creates visually powerful, poetic, and contemplative art pieces. Her work highlights themes such as community, cultural identity, and artistic expression — with a unique voice and a natural sense of presence.
The artwork “Love” is on loan from Eva and Kenneth Synnersten
Artistic Technique & Materials
- She is particularly skilled in origami, creating paper installations that often combine artistic craftsmanship with symbolic meaning. One example is a circular installation at Borgholm Castle Ruins consisting of one hundred hand-painted paper cones (stag beetles), representing both individuality and the importance of the collective.
- Tokiko also works in other materials, including glass — for example, she has created signed and dated glass objects shaped like fish (2002), demonstrating her versatility and keen sense of form.
- Her paper art also includes works such as “The Prayer”, an origami relief in paper (approximately 65 × 34 cm, framed 77 × 44 cm), signed by the artist — an example of how she uses paper to create symbolically rich and poetic artworks.
Focus & Works
- Tokiko fuses technical precision with symbolism drawn from both Japanese aesthetics and Western art traditions. Her works play with themes of community and individuality, tradition and renewal — often centering around animalistic or drawing-based motifs.
- Her choice of technique and materials emphasizes tactility, organic form, and a poetic sensibility, where every detail contributes to the emotional and visual resonance of the work.
Exhibitions & Projects
- She has exhibited her works in public and museum settings, such as at Borgholm Castle Ruins, where her paper insect installation drew significant attention.
- Several of her works have appeared at auctions, including pieces from the series Origami Boards and The Prayer, which highlights their recognition and collectible value.