Aso Kojima

Aso Kojima
Photo Toru Kometani

PROFILE

Living with a family of six on a self-sustaining farm in Nagano, Aso Kojima values his agricultural practice on equal footing with his pottery in the daily cycle of which his works are a natural outcropping. Despite these practical origins, we see in his the results an aesthetic style that is mature beyond its years.

Equally influenced by the kilns he discovered travelling the Asian continent, he has experimented by building and destroying his own kilns on over 20 occasions (of which 5 still remain) . His wide ranging style which incorporates Mishima-de, Tetsu-e, Yakishime, Hakeme, and other methods, is also worthy of note.
In addition to ceramic vessels, he also creates art objects.

Career
2015 Began a lifestyle founded on combining daily living with art and fine earthenware.
2010 Converted the interior of his home into the gallery “Kozaichi”.
2009 Founded art space “8 Link studio” with four other artists working in different genres.
2004 Moved to current residence in search of more land and built 15 kilns. At present, has rebuilt a two hundred old abandoned house where he resides with rice fields, chickens, and bees as a farmer and ceramic artist.
2000 Resolved to live life off the land and rented a house where he built his own woodfired kiln.
1998 Began working as earthenware staff at “Kaze no Kobo,” a studio in Ueno dedicated to combining practical knowledge with artistic expression.
1997 Seeking the roots of a simple lifestyle, began visiting the homes of skilled farmers throughout Japan.
1994 Attended and lived onsite at high school founded on self-sufficient principles.
1978 Born in Ueda, Nagano
Solo Exhibitions
2015 “Aso Kojima Ten,”Utsuwa Note, Saitama
“Aso Kojima Toten,” Toukyo, Tokyo
“Aso Kojima Toten,” YDS, Kyoto
“Aso Kojima Toten,” Tri Gallery, Tokyo
2014 “Aso Kojima Toten,” Kaikai Kiki Gallery, Tokyo
“Aso Kojima Ten,”Utsuwa Note, Saitama
“Aso Kojima Toten,” Toukyo, Tokyo
2013 "Aso Kojima Ceramic Exhibition" Hidari Zingaro Berlin, Berlin
“Aso Kojima Ten,”Utsuwa Note, Saitama
“Aso Kojima Ten,” G-Call Club Salon, Tokyo
“Aso Kojima Toten,” Tri Gallery, Tokyo
“Aso Kojima Toten,” Toukyo, Tokyo
2012 “Aso Kojima Ten,”Utsuwa Note, Saitama
“Aso Kojima Ten,”Hidari Zingaro Taipei, Taiwan
2011 “Aso Kojima Ten,”Utsuwa Note, Saitama
Group Exhibitions
2015 "Oishii Gohan no Utsuwa Ten" gallery tanne, Niigata
"gallery's eye - Erabu Chikara -" Kaikai Kiki Gallery, Tokyo
2014 "Oishii Gohan no Utsuwa Ten" gallery tanne, Niigata
"Asu no Kurashi to Tsukurite" Town's schule 963, Kagawa
2013 “AKiko Hino Exhibition,”Foucault, Fukuoka
"Ienomi no Susume" Utsuwa Momofuku, Tokyo
"Ochasuru Utsuwa" Utsuwa Momofuku, Tokyo
“G-tokyo2013,” Tokyo Midtown Hall, Tokyo
“Oz! Zingaro STYLE!,” Oz Zingaro, Tokyo