Artists

Yo Akiyama

Biography

1953: Born in Yamaguchi, Japan
1976: Entered Kyoto City University of Arts
1978: Completed Postgraduate course in ceramics, Kyoto City University of Arts

Solo Exhibitions

2024: "Yo Akiyama: The Unborn", ARTCOURT Gallery, Osaka (also in 2022, 2013, 2009)
2021: Galerie Pierre Marie Giraud, Bruxelles, Kingdom of Belgium (also in 2014, 2010)
2019: QM Gallery Katara, Doha, Qatar
2018: Kyoto City University of Arts Art Gallery @KCUA, Kyoto
2016: "Towards the Sea of Arche", Musée Tomo, Tokyo
2011: "Tension and Transition", Joan B. Mirviss Gallery, New York, USA
2008: Muramatsu Gallery, Tokyo (also in 1998)
2007: "Essence of Clay", Joan B. Mirviss Gallery, New York, USA
2005: KochuKyo, Tokyo
Frank Steyeart Gallery, Gent, Belgium
2004: "Tsuchi no shinsou (The Depth of Soil)", INAX Tile Museum, Tokoname
1999: Contemporary Art NIKI, Tokyo
1996: Gallery Koyanagi, Tokyo (also in 1993, 1989, 1987)
Gallery Nakamura, Kyoto (also in 1987)
1991: Shibuya Seibu Craft Gallery, Tokyo (also in 1988)
1986: "Clay crevasse", INAX Gallery 2, Tokyo
1985: Gallery Maronie, Kyoto (also in 1983, 1982)
1980: Gallery 16, Kyoto
1977: Gallery Iteza, Kyoto (also in 1976)

Selected Group Exhibitions

2023: "The Present Situation of Ceramic Art: A Form, Rises from Clay and Soul", Tajimi City Cultural Atelier gallery VOICE, Gifu
“MEMORIES 02”, selected by Tomio Koyama, CADAN YURAKUCHO, Tokyo
"ACG 20th Anniversary Vol.2", ARTCOURT Gallery
2022: "White and Black, Light and Shadow", Takashimaya Art Gallery, Nihombashi/Kyoto/Osaka/Nagoya
2021: "TSUCHI IJI RI", Ibaraki Ceramic Art Museum
2020: "1990 Clay Rush", NAKACHO KONISHI, Tokyo
"Seen｜Unseen", Joan B. Mirviss Gallery, New York City, USA
"HANDS & EARTH: Perspectives on Japanese Contemporary Ceramics", Katonah Museum of Art, New York City, USA
"Heimen to Rittai (Painting & Sculpture)―Kyomei suru Nostalgia (Resonant Nostalgia)", Takashimaya Art Gallery, Tokyo / Kyoto / Osaka / Nagoya
"Widening the Lens of Contemporary Art: Listening with the Eyes / Seeing through Ears", BB Plaza Museum of Art, Kobe, Hyogo
2019: "Yo Akiyama & Genta Ishizuka", Erskine, Hall & Coe, London
2018: "2018 Taiwan Ceramics Biennale", New Taipei City Yingge Ceramics Museum, New Taipei City, Taiwan
2016: "Spider Silk", Toyota Municipal Museum of Art
"Memorial Exhibition for Japan Ceramic Society Award", KOCHUKYO, Tokyo
"Rencontre", The Museum of Ceramic Art, Hyogo
"Ceramics of Terada Collection", Tokyo Opera City Art Gallery
2015: "Akiyama Yo & Kitamura Junko: A Moment in Time", Joan B. Mirviss Gallery, New York
"FAENZA (awarded works from 59TH FAENZA PRIZE International Competition of Contemporary Ceramic Art)", Sekiguchi Museum of Art, Tokyo
"Unfolding Worlds", The Museum of Fine Arts, USA
2014: "Into the Fold: Contemporary Japanese Ceramics from the Horvitz Collection", Harn Museum of Art, USA
"Tradition on Fine Contemporary Japanese Ceramics from the Paul & Kathy Bissinger Collection", Asian Art Museum、USA
"Takeshi Umehara and 25 Artists, Takashimaya" Kyoto/Osaka/Tokyo/Yokohama/Nagoya
"The 55th Japan Ceramic Society Award Exhibition", Wako Hall, Tokyo
2013: "Yo Akiyama+Junko Kitamura", Kakiden Gallery, Tokyo
"The 22nd Japan Ceramic Exhibition" Tokyo/Osaka/Ibaraki/Fukuoka/Aichi
"The 54th Japan Ceramic Society Award Exhibition", Wako Hall, Tokyo
2012: "Design Miami", USA
"Takeshi Umehara and 10 Artists, Takashimaya", Kyoto/Tokyo/Osaka/Nagoya/Yokohama
"Design Basel", Switzerland (also in 2011, 2009)
"Son et Lumière, Material, Transition, Time", 21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art, Kanazawa, Ishikawa
"The Magic of Ceramics", Artistic Inspiration", The Shigaraki Ceramic Cultural Park, Shiga/Museum of Modern Ceramic Art, Gifu(2013)/The Museum of Ceramic Art, Hyogo (2013)
2011: "Trial "CHAJI"", Kosanji temple, Kyoto
"Japanese Ceramics from Ancient Times to the Present From the Aichi Prefectural Ceramics
Museum Collection", Hekinan City Tatsuyoshi Fujii Museum of Contemporary Art, Aichi
"Small Universe", Ichinokura Sakazuki Art Museum, Tajimi, Gifu (also in 2008)
"Ceramica Viva : I Ceramisti Giapponesi Premiati a Faenza", Instituto Italiano di Cultura, Tokyo
"Japanese Modern Ceramics" Ebetsu City Ceramic Art Center, Hokkaido/Seto City Museum of Art, Aichi
"Object Ceramics", Hagi Uragami Museum, Yamaguchi
"Takeshi Umehara and 10 Artists", Chushin Art Museum, Kyoto (also in 2009)
2010: "Matières noires", WCC・BF, Mons, Belgium
"Trial "CHAJI" / Big Tea Party in Kitanomaru", Crafts Gallery, The National Museum of Modern Art, Tokyo
"Artists of the Kyoto Art and Culture Award", Chushin Art Museum, Kyoto
"Contemporary Ceramics for the tea Ceremony", Musée Tomo, Tokyo (also in 2008, 2006)
"Shining Technique and Beauty", The Kagawa Museum, Kagawa/Aichi Prefectural Museum of Art, Nagoya, Aichi
"The 17th MOA Mokichi Okada Award in Craft", MOA Museum of Art, Shizuoka
"Welcome to Chokoku no Mori", The Museum of Modern Art, Wakayama
2009: "The dark side of earth", Gallery Pierre Marie Giraud, Brussels
"Pleasant Shapes", Museum of Modern Ceramic Art, Gifu
"World Contemporary Ceramics Adventure of the Fire", Incheon World Ceramic Center, Korea
"The 21st Kyoto Art and Culture Award Exhibition", The Museum of Kyoto
2008: "The 49th Japan Ceramic Society Prize Winner Exhibition", Gallery Kochukyo, Tokyo
"Shapes in a Palm", Gallery UTUWA=KAN, Kyoto
2007: "The 30th Anniversary:Collection of the National Museum of Art", The National Museum of Art, Osaka
"Invitation to Modern Ceramic Art -Japan and Europe", The Museum of Ceramic Art, Hyogo
"TANKEN! Crafts Museum for Kids", The National Museum of Modern Art, Tokyo
"Forest of the 20th century art", Aichi Prefectural Museum of Art
"19th JAPAN CERAMIC ART EXHIBITION", Daimaru Museum, Tokyo/Osaka
"4th Enku Grand Award Exhibition", The Museum of Fine Art, Gifu
"Works from the Soil: Life Meets the Mother Earth in the Collection", Tokyo Opera City Art Gallery, Tokyo
2006: "Japanese Ceramics - The essence of 100 years", Ibaragi Ceramic Art Museum
"TRANSCENDING TRADITION", Barry Friedman Gallery, New York
"Surface Intentions", Kyoto Municipal Museum of Art, kyoto
"1st Ceramic Art Grand Prize Exhibition", Paramita Museum, Mie
"The quintessence of modern Japanese ceramics", Ibaraki Ceramic Art Museum
2005: "Alternative Paradise", 21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art, Kanazawa
"Transformations: The language of craft", National Gallery of Australia, Canberra
"Japanese Ceramics for the New Century", Museum of Fine Arts Boston, U.S.A
"The 47th Japan Ceramic Society Award Exhibition", Wako Hall, Tokyo
2004: "Confronting Tradition : Contemporary Art from Kyoto" Smith College Museum of Art, U.S.A
2003: "Japan - Ceramics and Photography - Tradition and Today", Deichtorhallen, Germany
"13th JAPAN CERAMIC ART EXHIBITION", Daimaru Museum, Tokyo/Osaka
2002: "The Legacy of Modern Ceramic Art", Museum of Modern Ceramic Art, Gifu
"The 6th International Ceramic Competition MINO, JAPAN", Ceramic Park MINO, Gifu
2001: "Takeshi Umehara and 32 Artists", Takashimaya, Kyoto/Tokyo/Osaka
"The 19th Exhibition of Contemporary Japanese Sculpture 2001", Ube Open-Air Sculpture Museum
"Crafts in Kyoto 1945 - 2000", The National Museum of Modern Art, Kyoto
"Leaders of Comtemporary Japanese Ceramics - Exploring Tecniques and Forms for the New Century", Ibaraki Ceramic Art Museum
2000: "Heros of our era", The International Ceramics Studio, Kecskemét, Hungary
"Communication Party Volume 5", ART LIFE MITSUHASHI, Kyoto
"Craft in Comtemporary Art", The Museum of Modern Art, Shiga

Selected Awards (since 2005)

2016: The First prize, Japan Ceramic Society
2014: Culture and Scholarship Award, Kyoto Shimbun Newspaper
2011: The 52nd Mainichi Art Award, Mainichi Shimbun Newspaper
2010: Grand Prix, The 17th Mokichi Okada Award
Excellence Prize, Contemporary Ceramics for the Tea Ceremony, Musée Tomo (2006)
2008: The 21st Kyoto Fine Arts Cultural Award
2007: Contribution Award, The 25th Kyoto Prefecture Cultural Award
Enku Award, The 4th Enku Grand Award Exhibition

Major Public Collections

Kyoto prefecture/ The Museum of Modern Art, Shiga/ The Museum of Modern Art, Wakayama/ 21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art, Kanazawa/ Hagi Uragami Museum/ The Museum of Oriental Ceramics, Osaka/ The National Museum of Modern Art, Kyoto/ Museo Internazionale delle Ceramiche in Faenza/ The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston /Victoria & Alvert Museum, London / Museum of Fine Art, Boston/ Keramion Frachen, Germany/ International Ceramic Studio, Hungary/ Minneapolis Institute of Art/ Benaki Museum, Athene/ Art Gallery of South Australia/ Honolulu Contemporary Art Museum, Portland Museum