Norihiko Ogura

• Category
  Lacquerware
• Techniques
  Maki-e, Dry lacquer, Mother-of-pearl inlay (Raden)
• Born
  1958 -
• Based in
  Tokyo
• Membership
  Full member, Japan Kogei Association
  Executive Director of the Japan Kōgei Association
  Executive Director of the Japan Cultural Property Lacquer Association
  Professor at Tokyo University of the Arts, Faculty of Fine Arts, Department of Crafts, Urushi Art

About the Artist

Charmed by Techniques That Go Beyond the Frame of Lacquerware

Norihiko Ogura, a lacquerware artist whose speciality is motifs of plants and scenery. With his outstanding skills, he is a master of using various lacquerware techniques. He has submitted his artwork to many exhibitions, not only within Japan, but also overseas, and has been highly recognized. In his recent years, he has been working more on pictorial expressions that nobody has ever done before, and has been producing "maki-e panels" by using lacquerware techniques to paint scenery like oil paintings or watercolor paintings. Within this process, he has created his own unique methods. As one of the lacquerware artists who draws attention worldwide, he is connecting and passing on the lacquerware culture that has a history of 1200 years to the future generations.

Style

Using togidashi makie (burnished makie) for pictorial expressions. Combining raden (mother-or-pearl inlay) and makie.

Biography

• 1958
  Born in Okayama Prefecture
• 1985
  Graduated from Tokyo University of the Arts, Graduate School of Fine Arts, Urushi-Art Course
  Worked as assistant to Holder of Important Intangible Cultural Property, Yoshikuni Taguchi (up to 1998)
• 1994
  Solo Exhibition "Norihiko Ogura Lacquerware Exhibition" at Seibu Ikebukuro Main Store, Seibu Art Forum
• 1997
  Took part in the reproduction of National Treasure "Ume Makie Tebako (Makie Box with Plum Design)" and submitted to the Mishima Taisha Treasure Museum Opening Memorial Special Exhibition
• 1998
  Invited to submit to the International Lacquerware Exhibition (Taiwan)
• 2000
  Invited to submit to the Japanese Contemporary Urushi Art Exhibition (Netherlands)
  Solo Exhibition "Flowers and Scenery: Norihiko Ogura Lacquerware Exhibition" (Nihombashi Mitsukoshi Main Store Art Salon)
• 2001
  Solo Exhibition "Flowers from Manyo: Norihiko Ogura Lacquerware Exhibition" (Akasaka Yu Gallery)
• 2004
  Solo Exhibition "An Encounter Over Four Seasons: Spinning Seasons, Norihiko Ogura Lacquerware Exhibition" (Nihombashi Mitsukoshi Main Store, Art Gallery)
• 2005
  Invited to submit to "Tea Utensils of Today" Exhibition (Shiseido Art House)
  Invited to submit to the Taiwan International Lacquer Art Exhibition & Concert (Taichung City Seaport Art Center, Taiwan)
• 2007
  Invited to submit to the 2nd International Modern Lacquer Arts Exhibition (Academy of Arts and Design, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China)
• 2008
  Committee Member of International Lacquer Art Exhibition & Symposium (National Taiwan University of Arts)
  Invited to submit to Taiwan Lacquer Art Fengyuan International Exhibition (Fengyuan Museum of Lacquer Art, Fengyuan City, Taichung)
  Solo Exhibition "Beautiful Scenery of Spring: Norihiko Ogura Urushi Art Exhibition" (Nihombashi Mitsukoshi Main Store Special Selection Art Gallery)
• 2010
  Invited to submit to the 2nd International Modern Lacquer Arts Exhibition(Fuzhou, China)
• 2011
  Invited to submit to the Tainan International Lacquer Art Exhibition (Tsung-Yeh Arts and Cultural Center, Tainan)
  Received the Medal with Purple Ribbon
• 2012
  Solo Exhibition "Hope of Nature: Norihiko Ogura Urushi Art Exhibition" (Nihombashi Mitsukoshi Main Store Special Selection Art Gallery)
• 2014
  Invited to submit to "Contemporary KOGEI Styles in Japan USA" (Agency for Cultural Affairs, Ministry of Foreign Affairs)
• 2015
  The 1st "Craft for All of Us" exhibition (Shiseido Art House), founding member
• 2016
  Submitted to the 2nd "Craft for All of Us" exhibition (Shiseido Art House)
  Invited to submit to Fuzhou International Lacquer Art Biennal
  Invited to submit to Hubei International Triennial of Lacquer Art
  Solo Exhibition "Gold Sky, Silver Sky – Norihiko Ogura Urushi Art Exhibition" (Nihombashi Mitsukoshi Main Store Special Selection Art Gallery)
• 2020
  Solo Exhibition "Winds of Gold, Winds of Silver – Norihiko Ogura Urushi Art Exhibition" (Nihombashi Mitsukoshi Main Store Special Selection Art Gallery)

Awards

• 1982
  Received the Tokyo University of the Arts Ataka Award
• 1983
  Received the Salon de Printemps Award for graduation work at Tokyo University of the Arts
• 1986
  Selected for the 3rd Lacquerware Traditional Kōgei Exhibition for the first time, received the Commissioner for Cultural Affairs Award
• 1991
  Received the Tokyo Governor Award at the 38th Japan Traditional Kōgei Exhibition
• 1997
  Received the Japan Kōgei Association Award at the 14th Lacquerware Traditional Kōgei Exhibition
• 1998
  Received the Asahi Shimbun Award at the 15th Lacquerware Traditional Kōgei Exhibition
• 2009
  Received the Tokyo Governor Award at the 56th Japan Traditional Kōgei Exhibition
• 2010
  Received the Silver and Bronze Award at the 12th Cross-Straits Fair for Economy and Trade (Fuzhou, China)
• 2012
  Received the MOA Museum of Art Award at the 18th MOA Mokichi Okada Award Exhibition
• 2013
  Received the 4th "Japan Artistic Award" (Japan Arts Foundation)
• 2015
  Received the Kawatoku Award at the 55th East Japan Traditional Kōgei Exhibition

Public Collections

• Tokyo National Museum
• National Crafts Museum, Tokyo
• Wajima Museum of Urushi Art
• Hasegawa Machiko Art Museum
• Kibun Foods Inc.
• The Terada Collection
• Shiseido Art House
• Tafu Gallery (Fuzhou, China)
• Hubei Museum of Art (Wuhan, China)
• Museum für Lackkunst (Germany)
• Victoria & Albert Museum (UK)
• Buenos Aires Museum of Modern Art (Argentina)

Official Site / Social Media etc.

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