Kaikai Kiki Gallery

Exhibitors Biographies

Born in Gyeongsangnam-do, Korea in 1936. Graduated from the Department of Philosophy at Nihon University. Lee has been one of the most central figures of Mono-ha group, having led the movement in both theory and practice since late 1960s with his installations pointing at the relationship between space and things such as stone, glass, steel panels, and wood. His critical activities include the re-evaluation and theorization of “Phase—Mother Earth” by fellow Mono-ha artist Nobuo Sekine. In 2010, he opened a museum in Naoshima, Kagawa in collaboration with Japanese architect Tadao Ando. Lee is an honorary professor at Tama Art University.

Born in Iwate, 1944. Graduated from the Painting Department at Tama Art University. He has been one of the main artists of Mono-ha group since the late 1960s. Suga has a unique practice in which he ‘temporarily’ installs elements of his art such as natural objects and construction material within the specific space that has been allocated for each occasion. With this practice, he seeks to emphasize the very existence of material objects by relating different things to each other rather than presenting each object alone, thus highlighting their interrelationship and multiplicity. The artist also employs an approach he calls ‘Activation,’ a performance art in which he reveals his creative process to his audience with the aim to activate the space.

Born in Tokyo, 1955. After quitting his study in the Department of Sculpture at Tama Art University, Okazaki enrolled into the B-semi Schooling System and completed it. He works in a variety of mediums such as relief-like sculptures, paintings dotted by irregularly shaped color blocks, and sculptures made of various materials. His modes of expression are not confined within the field of art but rather expand into building designs and film making. He has also been engaged in curatorial and critical activities in both art and architecture, directing the Japan pavilion for the 8th Venice Architecture Biennale. Okazaki is a visiting professor at Musashino Art University.

Born in Gifu, 1958. Completed a master’s degree in the Graduate School of Fine Arts at Tokyo University of the Arts. Awarded the grand prix at the 3rd Nippon Graphic Exhibition in 1982 for his unconventional works made with cardboard, which introduced a sculptural aspect into the field of design, bringing huge impact on the graphic arts scene at the time. More recently, Hibino has been involved in projects where he co-creates works of art in collaboration with voluntary participants as a way of contributing to the local communities. In 2015, he was appointed the director of the Museum of Fine Arts, Gifu. He is also the dean of the Faculty of Fine Arts and professor of Intermedia Art at Tokyo University of the Arts.

Born in Okayama, 1961. Graduated from the Graduate School of Arts at Kyoto City University of Arts. Nakahara has produced a number of uniquely formed sculptures using a wide variety of materials, including the Lego sculptures and anime figures he released in the 1990s. They were part of the artist’s ongoing exploration into the concept of sculpture as a medium. In addition to continuously working on artworks of his own, he has participated in various art projects as well as a collaborative study with NASDA (National Space Development Agency of Japan). He is a professor of sculpture at Kyoto City University of Arts.

Born in Gifu, 1957. Graduated from the Department of Sculpture at Musashino Art University. After pursuing a career in the contemporary art world, Ando decided to make his living as a ceramist. In addition to white Holland pottery and silvery pewter pottery, he has released ceramic art sculptures including a series titled “Sacred Boundary.” He has also produced collaborative tableware with Akira Minagawa of Mina Perhonen. In 1998, he opened Galerie Momogusa in Tajimi City, Gifu, and has since explored the relationship between those who make things and those who use them, or one between things and humans.

Born in Fukuoka, 1945. Graduated from Sophia University. After working for a trading company, Sakata opened a shop where he offered furudogu, or antique/used articles. Since then, he has travelled a few times each year around Japan and overseas searching for articles from Europe, Africa, Korea, South America, and other places in the world. Through his unique insight into beauty, he discovers new values in common objects in our daily lives such as coffee filters and cleaning rags just the same way he does in other antique materials. Since 1994, he has been running a museum called “as it is” in Chosei-gun, Chiba, which mainly focuses on crafts from around the world.