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.
b. 1976, Gunma, Japan
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1999
Studied under Iizuka Shokansai
Exhibitions & Accolades
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2002
Admitted to the 42nd Eastern Japan Traditional Craft Arts Exhibition (thereafter admitted many times)
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2003
Winner of the Encouragement Award at the 50th Japan Traditional Craft Arts Exhibition (thereafter admitted many times)
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2005
Admitted to the 10th Japan Traditional Craft Arts Wood and Bamboo Exhibition (thereafter admitted again)
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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
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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
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2014
Masterpieces of Bamboo Art in Tochigi, Tochigi Prefectural Museum of Fine Arts, Utsunomiya, Japan
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2017
Masterpieces of Japanese Bamboo Art, TAI Modern at Joan B Mirviss LTD, New York, NY
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2019
Received the Prize of Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science, and Technology
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2020
Masterpieces of Bamboo Art: Katsushiro Soho and Fujinuma Noboru, Tochigi Prefectural Museum of Fine Arts, Utsunomiya, Japan
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2021
Winner of the Mitsukoshi Isetan Prize at the 18th Japan Traditional Craft Arts Exhibition
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2022
Winner of the Asahi Newspaper Prize at the 62nd Eastern Japan Traditional Craft Arts Exhibition
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2023
Winner of the Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology Prize
Museum Collections
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David Woods Kemper Memorial Foundation, Kansas City, MO
Portland Arts Museum, OR
National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne, Australia
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.
