Artist Statement

In Japan, one of our aesthetics about craft is the “beauty of usage”. We used to translate Japanese ‟Kogei” to “Craft” with functionality in mind. But that translation is not enough to explain the current situation in Japan. Now many Japanese makers are producing sculpture concentrating on process and materials. This prevalent way of working produces a diversity of forms. Considering this shift from functionality to sculptural form, the word “Kogei” takes on new meaning.

When making my work, I always arrive at form through the process of making. I am introducing the ‟Kogei” way of making art with glass.

I do not have the certain motif or image of the concrete object before I start to make my works. These series of my work is made by picking up the form that was derived from the process of making vessel by blown glass. I decide the shape all of moment and moment by intuition. It is not an act that I make all of works by my intention. I do not know what kind of completion shape it become while I am making it. The hot glass move softly and show a sensual expression. I accept movement of the glass and the form that is going to become and I make it as an important factor of the shaping.

“Kogei” which I think about is the molding expression which is derived by material, technique and the making process. It have developed from context of function and beauty. And it is important that you chose the material and investigate possibility of the material’s expression.

With blowing it is important to control heat, gravity and centrifugal force.  I realized it is important that how to control these aspects of energy and use them to make works with hot glass.

From ancient times in Japan we find and pray God in the universe and Natural phenomenon which is fire, water and wind etc.  Japanese “Kogei” is culture which is effect on such basis.I feel it is similar act that the shaman in the animism speak words of God and I produce the art works to synchronize with the glass or providence of nature. I derive the form to hear a voice of glass, and it is a kind of collaboration work with glass.

Resume

Long-term studies

1995 Graduated from Toyama Institute of Glass Art, Advanced level course, Toyama /Japan

1993 Graduated from Aichi University of Education, Graduated course, Aichi / Japan

Experience 

2019 Glass Nexus Forum – North Lands Creative/UK, Demonstration & Slide lecture

2019 Terminal City Glass Co-op/Canada, Demonstration & Slide lecture
2019 Corning Museum of Glass The Studio /USA, Workshop Instructor

2018 Glass Art Society conference in Murano/ Italia, Demonstration

2018 Shanghai Museum of Glass/China, Demonstration   

2018 Shanghai Institute of Visual Arts, Slide lecture

2017 Rochester Institute of Technology, Rochester /USA, Demonstration & Slide lecture  

2017 China Academy of Art, Hangzhou /China, Instructor

2014-2019 Glass Art Society , USA, Board of Directors  

2006 Glass Art Association of Canada, Conference in Red Deer College, /Canada, Demonstration & Slide lecture

2003-2007 Osaka University of Arts,Osaka,Japan, Instructor

2001-2007 Nagoya University of Arts, Nagoya/Japan, Instructor

1996-2001 Kanazawa Utatsuyama kogei kobo, Kanazawa/Japan, Studio coordinator

Exhibitions  

2021 Fairywood Glass Museum, Soro Exhibition, Okayama/ Japan

2021 Toyama Glass Art Museum, Thirty Years of Toyama Institute of Glass Art Forms for the Future, Toyama /Japan

2019 Toyama Glass Art Museum, Glass Art Toyama 2019, Toyama /Japan

2019 Museum of Decorative Arts in Prague, 13th International Glass Symposium, Praha/Czech Republic

2019 National Art Gallery, International Glass Biennale Of Glass 2019,Sofia/ Bulgaria

2018 Daiichi Museum, Soro Exhibition, Nagoya/Japan 

2017 Alexandern Tutsek-stiftung, lebenswelt/life-world, München/ Germany

2017 Glasmuseum Frauenau, Kokoro – Japanisches Glas Heute , Bayern/Germany

2017 Glasmuseum Lette、Kokoro – Japanisches Glas Heute , Coesfeld/Germany

2016 Tianyuan Glass Art Center ,Collision & Fission – Exhibition of Contemporary Glass Artist, Huailai/China

2015 Glass Island Mac Art Museum, Fluid Dialogue Between ROK & JAPAN, Ansan /Korea

2015 Daikanyama Hillside Terrace, Glass’15 in Japan, Tokyo/Japan

2015 21 Century Museum of Contemporary Art, Utatsu-no-Katachi, Kanazawa/Japan

2014 Levant Art Gallery, iGlass2014, Shanghai/ China 

2012 Daikanyama Hillside Terrace, Glass’12 in Japan, Tokyo/Japan

2011 Gallery Voice, Transformation of GlassⅡ,Gifu/Japan

2009 Gallery Voice, Transformation of GlassⅠ, Gifu /Japan

2005 Seto Ceramics and Glass Art Center, Glass Art Now, Aichi/Japan

2004 Chiryu Public Theater, Glass Art Expo, Aichi/Japan

2003 Chiryu Public Theater, Glass works 2003. Aichi/ Japan

2002 Kanazu Forest of Creation, Hokuriku Glass Exhibition, Fukui/Japan

2001 Himeji Art Museum, Studio Glass, Hyogo/Japan

2000 Grand Crystal Museum, Streams of Light: Taipei/Taiwan

1995 Fundacion Centro Nacional Del Vidrio, Japon Vidrio Artistico Contemporaneo, Segovia/Spain

Awards 

2010 The International Exhibition of Glass Kanazawa 2010 (Honorable Mentions)

2009 Sanyo Onoda Contemporary Glass Art Exhibition (Award of juror Yoshio Tsuchiya)

2009 “VESSELS” the exhibition of Contemporary Glass Koganezaki 2009. (Award of Grand Prix’)

2001 Kanazawa Vessels Awards (Award of Silver Prize)

1999 Arts and Crafts Exhibition in Obokesugi (Award of Grand Prix’)

1999 The World Exhibition of Arts and Crafts Kanazawa ’99 (Merit Award)                         

1999 Japanese Contemporary Glass Exhibition in Notojima (Award of Silver Prize)

Representation in public collections (institution, city/country)

Kanazawa Utatsuyama Koge kobo, Kanazawa/Japan

Notojima Glass Art Museum, Ishikawa/Japan

Seiryo High School, Kanazawa/Japan

Westin Nagoya Castle, Nagoya/Japan

Koganezaki Crystal Park, Shizuoka/Japan

Alexandern Tutsek-stiftung, München/ Germany

Lette Glass Museum, Coesfeld/Germany

Glasmuseum Frauenau, Bayern/Germany

Toyama Glass Art Museum, Toyama/Japan

Fairywood Glass Museum, Okayama/ Japan

Symposiums (year, name, city/country)

2019 Glass Nexus Forum – North Lands Creative/ UK

2018 The XIII. International Glass Symposium in Novy Bor/ Czech Republic

2016 Tianyuan Glass Art Festival 2016, Huailai/China

Bibliography

2010 Glass Haus

2010 New Glass Review 31

2009 New Glass Review 30