Kenji Io

Biography

• 1945
  Born in Takamatsu City, Kagawa Prefecture as the second son of a metalwork artist IO Toshio
• 1964
  Graduated from the Crafts Course at the Kagawa Prefectural Takamatsu-Kougei High School
  Specialised in woodwork (Interior design)
• 1968
  Graduated from Tokai University (Department of Public Relations, School of Letters). Studied repoussé and metal chasing under his father since his university days
  Entered Dentsu Public Relations Inc.
• 1971
  Selected for the Japanese Traditional Art Crafts New Works Exhibition (Currently the Eastern Japan Traditional Art Crafts Exhibition) and the Japanese Traditional Metalwork Exhibition for the first time. Selected successively to date
• 1975
  Submitted to the 22nd Japan Traditional Art Crafts Exhibition for the first time. Submitted successively to date
• 1980
  Recommended as a full member of the Japan Kogei Association
• 1985
  Held the Io Toshio and Kenji Father-son Exhibition at the Nihonbashi Gallery Kochukyo
• 1986
  Judge at the 33rd Japan Traditional Art Crafts Exhibition. Held the post to date
• 1990
  Assisted in the production of the “Globe” at Mikimoto Pearl Island
• 1993
  Assisted in the production of the “Sacred Treasures” at the 61st Shikinen Sengu Ceremony at Ise Jingu
• 1994
  Solo exhibition at Ginza Wako. Held 2 times to date
  Solo exhibition at Yokohama Takashimaya and Shinjuku Keio Department Store
• 1996
  Solo exhibition at Nagoya Maruei
• 1997
  Solo exhibition at Nihonbashi Mitsukoshi
• 2001
  Solo exhibition at Nihonbashi Mitsukoshi
• 2002
  Solo exhibition at Gallery En (Takamatsu City) (Also held in 2006)
• 2004
  Submitted to the Contemporary Japanese Metalwork Exhibition at the Danish Museum of Art and Design
• 2008
  Recommended as a Director of the Japan Kogei Association and Chairman of the Metalwork Section (Up until 2014)
  Special lecture at Seoul National University and Konkuk University, South Korea
• 2009
  Specially invited to submit to the Talking Hands Exhibition at the Seoul National University, South Korea
  Held a special exhibition at Ginza Wako
  Solo exhibition at Fukuoka Mitsukoshi
• 2010
  Solo exhibition at Sakaide City Kamado Hall (May) and Keio Department Store (July)
• 2012
  Assisted in the production of the “Sacred Treasures at the 62nd Shikinen Sengu Ceremony in Ise Jingu
• 2013
  Solo exhibition Fukuoka Mitsukoshi (February)
  “From Crafts to Kogei” Exhibition at the National Museum of Modern Art, Tokyo (December 2013 to February 2014
• 2014
  Special Exhibition in commemoration of the Shikinen Sengu Ceremony at the Jingu Museum of Fine Arts (February)
• Present
  Full member, Japan Kogei Association
  Priority treatment at the Japan Traditional Art Crafts Exhibition. Judge
  at the Japan Traditional Art Crafts Exhibition
  Chairman of the Executive Committee at Japanese Traditional Metalwork Exhibition
  Part‐time lecturer at the College of Art and Design,
  Musashino Art University. President of the Aoyama School of Jewelry and Metalsmithing

Awards

• 1975
  Awarded at the Eastern Japan Traditional Art Crafts Exhibition and the Japanese Traditional Metalwork Exhibition
• 1983
  Received the Incentive Award at the 30th Japan Traditional Art Crafts Exhibition