Kaoru Uchino

• Category
  Lacquerware
• Techniques
  Maki-e
• Born
  1951 -
• Based in
  Ishikawa
• Membership
  Full member, Japan Kogei Association
  Director, Japan Association for Urushi Cultural Heritage
  Member, Academy of Lacquer Research
  Part-time lecturer, Tokyo University of the Arts (Intensive Course)
  Lecturer, Ishikawa Prefectural Institute of Wajima Lacquer Arts

About the Artist

The Elegance of Makie on Wood Grains

Lacquer artist Kaoru Uchino is known for his techniques of decorating unlacquered wood with makie. He captures the moment of a scene in nature and the subtleties of light with his poetic sensibility and expresses it with delicate makie techniques. He adds depth to the artwork while maintaining the natural texture and beautiful wood grain. He has received many awards at the Japan Traditional Kōgei Exhibition and Lacquerware Traditional Kōgei Exhibition where the top craft artists in Japan gather, and his outstanding skills and artistic quality are highly evaluated.

Biography

• 1951
  Born in Nagoya City, Aichi Prefecture
• 1975
  Graduated from the Department of Crafts at the Tokyo University of the Arts
• 1977
  Selected for the Japan Traditional Art Crafts Exhibition for the first time (Hosted by the Agency for Cultural Affairs). Selected successively to date
• 1980
  Maki-e Vessels Exhibition (Aoyama Tourindou Gallery)
  Completed the Master’s Degree in Urushi-Art at the Graduate School of Fine Arts, Tokyo University of the Arts
• 1983
  Selected for the Exhibition of Japanese Traditional Urushi Works for the first time. Selected successively to date
• 1984
  Selected for the Ishikawa Traditional Art Crafts Exhibition. Selected successively to date (Kanazawa Mayor Award, Incentive Award)
• 1991
  Produced the armour and saddle for the Shikinen Sengu Ceremony in Ise Jingu
• 1997
  Submitted to the CONTEMPORARY JAPANESE CRAFTS Exhibition (Japan Foundation), and the exhibited work was later purchased
• 2000
  Produced the maki-e box that was offered by Ishikawa Prefecture to Prince and Princess Akishino as a gift commemorating their visit
  Designed the “Spring and Summer Maki-e” pipe organ façade at the Ishikawa Ongakudo
  Engaged in the restoration work of the ceiling covered with maki-e decorations at the Konpiragu Shrine (Completed in 2004)
• 2001
  1st solo exhibition at Gallery Tanaka (Ginza, Tokyo)
• 2006
  2nd solo exhibition at Gallery Tanaka (Ginza, Tokyo)
  Japan＆Korea Urushi Arts Exhibition (University Art Museum, Tokyo University of the Arts)
  “Taipei Exhibition of Ishikawa Crafts and Craftsmanship” at the National CKS Memorial Hall
• 2008
  “The Universe on the Palm of my Hand” at Chikuryudo (Ginza, Tokyo)
• 2012
  3rd Kaoru and Miyako Uchino Urushi Art Exhibition (Ginza, Tokyo)
  Submitted to the 125th Anniversary Event Tokyo University of the Arts, URUSHI ART History and the Future Exhibition (The University Art Museum, Tokyo University of the Arts)
  1st Kaoru and Miyako Uchino Urushi Art Exhibition at Yamato-Ogura Inc. Gallery, Nagiso, Nagano
• 2014
  4th Kaoru and Miyako Uchino Urushi Art Exhibition (Ginza, Tokyo)

Awards

• 1983
  Asahi Shimbun Award, 2nd Lacquerware Traditional Kōgei Exhibition
• 1992
  Incentive Award, 33rd Ishikawa Traditional Kōgei Exhibition
• 2004
  Asahi Shimbun Award, 51st Japan Traditional Kōgei Exhibition
• 2010
  Tokyo Metropolitan Board of Education Award, 50th Lacquerware Traditional Kōgei Exhibition