Yataro Amemiya

About the Artist

Putting His Thoughts on Modern Sculpture and Traditional Art into Form

Inkstone artist Yataro Amemiya is the 13th generation of Amehata Suzuri Honpo Yahei Amemiya established in 1690. He grew up watching his father make inkstones from an early age, and studied carving at Tokyo University of the Arts. Amemiya says, inkstones are not just tools to make ink, but it makes a person calm down and face oneself. He considers inkstones as "vessels of the mind", and produces modern sculpture in the form of inkstones. He thinks that facing an inkstone is the same as facing a Zen rock garden. Although there are less people preparing ink on inkstones today, he continues to produce inkstones that can be considered as "ZEN STONES" and modern sculpture, crossing the boundaries of modern art and traditional art.

Style

An ink slab is not just an artifact to rub down an ink stick and make some sumi or black ink; it is for calming the mind while making sumi, a place to confront the self.
For me the ink slab is "a receptacle of the spirit" and in its functional simplicity I found the possibility of an artistic expression suitable for today's society.
I am pursuing the creation of contemporary sculpture in this simple "form or shape" in which natural materials are allowed to express themselves.

Biography

• 1961
  Born in Yamanashi Prefecture
• 1985
  Graduated from Department of Sculpture, Tokyo University of the Arts
• 1989
  Completed Graduate School of Fine Arts (Sculpture, Art and Education), Tokyo University of the Arts
• 1990
  First time submitted and selected for 37th Japan Traditional Art Crafts (submitted every year to date)
• 1994
  Full member, Japan Kogei Association
• 2005
  Solo exhibition, Nihonbashi Mitsukoshi Department Store
• 2008
  Solo exhibition, Nihonbashi Mitsukoshi Department Store
• 2010
  Traditional Crafts in the 21st Century -Eyes of the World- Exhibition, MOA Museum of Art
• 2011
  Solo exhibition, Nihonbashi Mitsukoshi main store
• 2013
  Exhibition [Contemporary KOGEI Styles in Japan]

Awards

• 1996
  Received the Asahi Shimbun Prize at 12th Traditional Kōgei 7th Division Exhibition
• 1997
  Received the Tokyo Board of Education Award at 13th Traditional Kōgei 7th Division Exhibition
• 2004
  Received the Eastern Branch Prize at 44th Traditional Kōgei New Works Exhibition
• 2006
  Received the Best New Artist Award at 53rd Japan Traditional Kōgei Exhibition
• 2007
  Received the Incentive Award at 27th POLA Traditional Culture Awards
• 2009
  Received the Asahi Shimbun Prize at 49th East Japan Traditional Kōgei Exhibition
  Received the Kogei Association Award at 22nd East Japan Traditional Kōgei Exhibition
• 2012
  Received the Japan Kogei Association Award at 52nd East Japan Traditional Kōgei Exhibition
• 2014
  Received the MOA Museum of Art Award at 54th East Japan Traditional Kōgei Exhibition
• 2021
  Received the Tokyo Metropolitan Board of Education Award at 29th Various works Traditional Kōgei Exhibition
• 2023
  Received the Mitsukoshi Isetan Award at 29th Various works Traditional Kōgei Exhibition

Official Site / Social Media etc.

• Official Site