Hirohiko Kawakita

• Category
  Wood and Bamboo
• Techniques
  Wood turning, Wiped lacquer finish
• Born
  1962 -
• Based in
  Ishikawa
• Membership
  Full member, Japan Kogei Association
  Vice Secretary General of the Japan Kōgei Association Ishikawa Branch
  Lecturer at the Ishikawa Prefectural Training Institute of Woodturning

About the Artist

Paving the Way for the Future of Woodwork Built on Tradition

Woodwork artist Hirohiko Kawakita was born in the Yamanaka Onsen (hot springs) area, one of the leading manufacturing areas of lacquerware in Japan, and learned wood turning techniques from his father, Living National Treasure Ryozo Kawagita. Additional to the traditional wood turning techniques which bring out the charm of the beautiful wood grain, he has pioneered new ground with his original technique called tahenbiki, which is carving decorative line patterns on the wood surface. In his recent years, he has been trying to make forms that make the most of the volume of the wood.
He has received the Excellence Award at the 15th Mokichi Okada Award Exhibition as well many other awards at the Japan Traditional Kōgei Exhibition and Wood and Bamboo Traditional Kōgei Exhibition, and continues to lead the world of woodwork.

Style

Producing artwork making the most of wood grain and forms using wood turning techniques.

Biography

• 1982
  Graduated from Kinjo College, Department of Art
• 1993
  Submitted to the 40th Japan Traditional Kōgei Exhibition (submitted several times from this year onward)
• 1996
  Becomes Full Member of the Japan Kōgei Association
  Lecturer at Ishikawa Prefectural Training Institute of Woodturning
  Lecturer at Wajima Urushi Art Technical Training Center
  Standing Committee Member of the Ishikawa Prefectural Art and Culture Association
  Member of the Yamanaka Lacquerware Techniques Preservation Society
• 2001
  Father and son exhibition at Tokyu Department Store, Kichijoji
  Father and son exhibition at Hanshin Department Store
• 2002
  Father and son exhibition at Nihombashi Mitsukoshi Main Store
• 2004
  Solo exhibition at Hanshin Department Store
• 2007
  Solo exhibition at Nihombashi Mitsukoshi Main Store
• 2008
  Solo exhibition at the Green Arts Gallery, Kanazawa
• 2009
  Produced commemorative gift for the restoration of Nishi Honganji Temple, Goeido (Founder's Hall)
  Primary evaluator at the 56th Japan Traditional Kōgei Exhibition
  Vessel of Zelkova Wood "Water Surface" purchased by the MOA Museum of Art
• 2010
  Solo exhibition at Nihombashi Mitsukoshi Main Store
• 2011
  Father and son exhibition at Hankyu Department Store
  Father and son exhibition at Seibu Ikebukuro Store
  Father and son exhibition at Sogo / Seibu Takanawa-kai
• 2012
  Father and son exhibition at Osaka Mitsukoshi Isetan
  Primary evaluator at the 59th Japan Traditional Kōgei Exhibition
• 2013
  Father and son exhibition at Fukuya Hacchobori Main Store (Hiroshima)
  Father and son exhibition at Sogo Chiba Store
  Specially invited to submit to the 60th Japan Traditional Kōgei Exhibition
  Submitted to the "From Crafts to Kōgei In Commemoration of the 60th Japan Traditional Art Crafts Exhibition" at The National Museum of Modern Art, Tokyo, Crafts Gallery
  Solo exhibition at Nagoya Matsuzakaya Main Store
• 2014
  Solo exhibition at Nihombashi Mitsukoshi Main Store
  Submitted to special exhibition at the Jingu Art Museum (3 generations)
• 2015
  Father and son exhibition at Saga Tamaya
  Solo exhibition at Gallery Tsuboya, Kobe
• 2016
  Vessel of Zelkova Wood purchased by the MOA Museum of Art
  Solo exhibition at Matsuzakaya Nagoya Store
• 2017
  Father and son exhibition at Sogo / Seibu Takanawa-kai
  Father and son exhibition at Takashimaya (Osaka, Tokyo and Kashiwa)
• 2018
  Primary evaluator at the 65th Japan Traditional Kōgei Exhibition
• 2019
  Submitted to exhibition "Kogei is..." supervised by Ryohei Miyata
  Three Generations Exhibition at Tenmaya
  Three Generations Exhibition at Nihombashi Mitsukoshi Main Store
• 2021
  Covered Bowl of Zelkova Wood "Heaven" submitted to the 68th Japan Traditional Kōgei Exhibition purchased by the Imperial Household Agency
  Solo exhibition at Gallery Tsuboya, Kobe

Awards

• 1993
  Incentive Award, Ishikawa Traditional Kōgei Exhibition
• 1994
  Kanazawa Mayor Award, Ishikawa Traditional Kōgei Exhibition
• 1995
  Incentive Award, Ishikawa Traditional Kōgei Exhibition
  Hokkoku Shimbun President Award, 1st Kenrokuen Grand Tea Ceremony Craft Exhibition
• 1996
  Incentive Award, 2nd Kenrokuen Grand Tea Ceremony Craft Exhibition
• 1998
  Kanazawa Mayor Award, Ishikawa Traditional Kōgei Exhibition
• 2000
  Japan Kōgei Association Award, 9th Wood and Bamboo Traditional Kōgei Exhibition
  Hokkoku Shimbun President Award, Kenrokuen Grand Tea Ceremony Craft Exhibition
• 2002
  Japan Kōgei Association Incentive Award, 49th Japan Traditional Kōgei Exhibition
• 2004
  Japan Kōgei Association Incentive Award, 51st Japan Traditional Kōgei Exhibition
• 2005
  Japan Kōgei Association Award, 10th Wood and Bamboo Traditional Kōgei Exhibition
  Japan Kōgei Association Incentive Award, 52nd Japan Traditional Kōgei Exhibition
  Ishikawa 2005 Special Award, Ishikawa International Urushi Exhibition
• 2006
  Excellence Award, 15th Mokichi Okada Award Exhibition
• 2009
  Commission Award, 65th Contemporary Arts Exhibition
• 2012
  Ishikawa Traditional Kōgei Special Award, Ishikawa Traditional Kōgei Exhibition
• 2016
  Art and Culture Excellence Award, 72nd Contemporary Arts Exhibition

Public Collections

• Ishikawa Prefectural Museum of Art

Official Site / Social Media etc.

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