Oki Toshie

It is a joy for me to create my artwork. At the same time, it is painful. Every time I push my creative boundaries, I hit walls of resistance. This makes me realize how incompetent I am and how much there is still to learn. On top of that, it shows a part of me that I want to hide. This process is, however, a necessary part of my life, just as eating and sleeping are.

I chose to work in the Traditional Craft Organization which has many rules and regulations that limit working in more sculptural forms. Despite this, I am very comfortable working within this restrained freedom to express myself.

The sound of bamboo splitting gives me a good feeling, and I am energized when I feel the tension of the bamboo strips. Bamboo is such a wonderful medium for me — I am so fortunate to have found it.

After I completed my initial training, I began to express myself in my work. I try to show in an abstract manner the beauty of the ideas I see in my mind. Over the past two years, I have been thinking about what beauty is and what beauty I can create with this special medium. It is not an easy path to be a bamboo artist, but I will try to push myself further with each new piece.

BIO/CV

b. 1976, Gunma, Japan

Education

1999

Studied under Iizuka Shokansai

Exhibitions & Accolades

2002

Admitted to the 42nd Eastern Japan Traditional Craft Arts Exhibition (thereafter admitted many times)
2003

Winner of the Encouragement Award at the 50th Japan Traditional Craft Arts Exhibition (thereafter admitted many times)
2005

Admitted to the 10th Japan Traditional Craft Arts Wood and Bamboo Exhibition (thereafter admitted again)
2006

Received the Tokyo Board of Education Member’s Award at the 46th Eastern Japan Traditional Craft Arts Exhibition
Became a full member of The Japan Traditional Craft Arts Association
2008

New Bamboo: Contemporary Japanese Masters, Japan Society, New York City, NY
2009

Many Shapes of Bamboo III, Oita Prefectural Art Museum
Received the Member’s Award at the 12th Japan Traditional Craft Arts Wood and Bamboo Exhibition
2010

Different Sensitivity: Women in Bamboo Art, TAI Gallery, Santa Fe, NM
Winner of Hokkaido Governor’s Prize at the 50th Eastern Japan Traditional Craft Arts Exhibition
2013

Winner of Kawatoku Prize at the 53rd Eastern Japan Traditional Craft Arts Exhibition
2014

Masterpieces of Bamboo Art in Tochigi, Tochigi Prefectural Museum of Fine Arts, Utsunomiya, Japan
2017

Masterpieces of Japanese Bamboo Art, TAI Modern at Joan B Mirviss LTD, New York, NY
2019

Received the Prize of Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science, and Technology
2020

Masterpieces of Bamboo Art: Katsushiro Soho and Fujinuma Noboru, Tochigi Prefectural Museum of Fine Arts, Utsunomiya, Japan
2021

Winner of the Mitsukoshi Isetan Prize at the 18^th Japan Traditional Craft Arts Exhibition
2022

Winner of the Asahi Newspaper Prize at the 62^nd Eastern Japan Traditional Craft Arts Exhibition
2023

Winner of the Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology Prize

Museum Collections

David Woods Kemper Memorial Foundation, Kansas City, MO

Portland Arts Museum, OR

National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne, Australia