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font.css Rei Chikaoka

fujita
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Fujita Toshiaki began working in lacquer when he was a student at Tokyo University of the Arts, because he was attracted by what he calls the mystery of urushi, the name of the natural resin from which lacquer is made. After various experiments, he began to create his signature layered forms. This involves the application of a finely ground fired clay mixed with urushi (a base cost known as jinoko) every day for two years. As these myriad layers dry, the forms increase in size and develop an organic quality as if they had grown naturally. These dark, irregular layered forms, with contrasting bright interiors of red lacquer or gold leaf, were immediately praised in Japan’s art world for their unique embodiments of the synthesized concepts of both the natural urushi tree and the beautiful lacquer art it produces.

1959 Born in Kagawa Prefecture, Japan

1983

B.F.A. Department of URUSHI (Japanese Lacquer), Tokyo University of the Arts

1985

M.F.A. Department of URUSHI (Japanese Lacquer), Tokyo University of the Arts

SOLO EXHIBITIONS

2003

Contemporary Art NIKI, Tokyo

2002

Minamigaoka Club Art Space, Karuizawa

1994

SIBUYA SEIBU Department Store Craft Gallery, Tokyo

1993

Gallery Isogaya, Tokyo

1989

SIBUYA SEIBU Department Store Craft Gallery, Tokyo

1987

SIBUYA SEIBU Department Store Craft Gallery, Tokyo

SELECTED GROUP EXHIBITIONS

2008

SOFA Chicago

2007

"URUSHI-Footstepas for Tomorrow", Silver Shell Kyobashi
Japan Month in Houston: Art Exhibition, contemporary Japanese Arts and Crafts
SOFA New York
SOFA Chicago

2006 

Super extacy ( Kanagawa Prefectural Hall, Yokohama )
Japan & Korea Urushi arts exhibition ( the University Art Museum, Tokyo University of the Arts)
From the Museum Collection : A History of Modern Crafts ( Craft Gallery, the National Museum of Modern Art Tokyo)

2005 

“Possibility of the Urushi clay”Exhibition ( Gallery Isogaya,Tokyo )

2004 

“Symbol of URUSHI” -Tokyo University of the Arts- Exhibition ( Nagano Prefecture, Hotaka. Gallery You-You )
“Objet d'art on the desk ・’04”Exhibition ( NIKI GALLERY SATSU )
New Urushi Forms: Three Lacquer Artists from Japan ( Museum of Craft & Folk Art, San Francisco )

2003 

From the Museum Collection : A History of Modern Crafts ( Craft Gallery, the National Museum of Modern Art Tokyo)
Contemporary Japanese Craft Artists, Exhibition ( Contemporary Art NIKI, Tokyo )

2002 

ASAHI MODERN CRAFT EXHIBITION ( HANKYU Department Store, Osaka )

2001  International Crafts Competition ( Kanazawa, Ishikawa )
2000  Japanese Contemporary Urushi Art Exhibition ( Jan Van Der Togt Museum, Amstelveen, The Netherlands )
1996  Japan Contemporary Crafts, Exhibition ( International Relations from Japan Foundation Forum, Tokyo )
Japan・Taiwan Contemporary Urushi Art Exhibition ( Taipei MITSUKOSHI Department Store, Taiwan )
The World Urushi Arts Exhibition ( FUJITA VENTE MUSEUM, Tokyo )
1995  The Craft Course Instructor's Exhibition ( Tokyo National University of Fine Arts and Music Museum )
“Art Works on the desk” Exhibition ( Contemporary Art NIKI, Tokyo )
1994  “Urushi no Genzai- sei ”( The Now Arts of Japanese Lacquer ) Exhibition ( Kanagawa Prefectural Hall, Yokohama )
1993

Nuances in Lacquer-70 Years of Innovation ( Craft Gallery, the National Museum of Modern Art Tokyo)
“Art Works on the desk ” Exhibition ( IKEBUKURO SEIBU Department Store, Tokyo ~'94 )
International Design Competition ( Kanazawa,Ishikawa )

1992  International Contemporary Urushi Arts Exhibition ( Fukusyu Museum, China )
1988 

“URUSHI WORKS ”Exhibition ( SIBUYA SEIBU Department Store, Tokyo ~'92 )
“The Object on the desk” Exhibition ( SIBUYA SEIBU Department Store, Tokyo ~'92 )
“Urushi Genzai-Ha ” ( The Group of Contemporary Japanese Lacquer Artists)Exhibition ( Gallery Isogaya, Tokyo ~'94 )
Contemporary Urushi Arts Exhibition ( Yokohama TAKASHIMAYA Department Store, Kanagawa )

1987  Issei MIYAKE, ASYA Fashion Show, Installation ( Sougetsu Hall,Tokyo )

1986 

Urushi - New Wave ( Hibiya City and Gallery Isogaya, Tokyo)
Contemporary Urushi Art Exhibition ( Masuda Studio, Tokyo)
Lighting Object in The Noel Night ( SIBUYA SEIBU Department Store, Tokyo ~'89 )
etc.

PUBLIC COLLECTION

The National Museum of Modern Art Tokyo

Victoria & Alberts Museum, London, UK,

Japan Foundation

Toyota Municipal Museum of Art

TEACHING EXPERIENCE

1990~2000

Lecturer at Urushi Department of Crafts, Tokyo University of the Arts, etc.

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