Mari Hirata - Omamori
Small Object Gallery | 11 July - 18 October 2025
Artist: Mari Hirata
Medium: Jewellery and Small Objects
Mari Hirata is an artist based in Brisbane who creates sculptures and wearable pieces using precious and base metals, stones, pearls, paper, and found objects.
Mari’s collections explore the coming together of form, space, and light – seeking a balance between interpersonal archetypal forms and personal narrative. An amalgamation of symmetry and the organic, they are a reflection of both natural and man-made landscapes, drawing from the aesthetic sensibilities of her multicultural heritage.
Exhibition: Omamori
This exhibition explores the Japanese Omamori, amulets and talismans believed to hold supernatural power, reflecting the concept of fetishism—assigning non-material value to objects.
Omamori delves into themes of life, death, and personal belief. Having grown up in Japan until the age of ten, Hirata was surrounded by Omamori, even though her family’s religious exposure was varied. This exposure left a lasting impression on her, particularly on how we attribute power and belief to objects. A recent experience of making an Omamori for her father while he was in hospital provided comfort, even to his secular perspective. This personal significance has driven Hirata to explore and expand this concept further in her art.
Mari Hirata is represented by Lorraine Pilgrim Gallery, Gold Coast
Image Credit
The Void: Inside Out (Object / Double Pin Brooch / Pendant + Detachable Chain), 2024, Mari Hirata. Copper, stainless steel. The Void: Spaces in Between (Object / Double Pin Brooch / Pendant), 2024, Mari Hirata. Sterling Silver, Stainless Steel. Images courtesy of Mari Hirata
