MEMBER

MEMBER

IMAI Masayuki 今井 政之

  • Ceramic

Born in Osaka 1930
Representative of Artists group KOGEI-KYOTO. / Member of Japan National Academy of Arts.

CARRER

  • 1948Started ceramic making.
  • 1955One-man show at Peabody Essex Museum of Arts, at Salem, Massachusetts, USA.
  • 1974Won the Honorary grand prize at the 4th International Ceramic Biennale of Vaulloris, France.
  • 1985Masayuki Imai Ceramics Exhibition at the Peabody Essex Museum in Massachusetts, USA
  • 1993Awarded the Cultural Merit Prize by Kyoto Prefecture
  • 1994The exhibition “Recent Works of IMASI Masayuki” at National Museum of Art, Osaka.
  • 1998Awarded the 54th Japan Art Academy Prize
  • 2003Became a member of the Japan Art Academy
  • 2006Joined in the establishment of Artists group KOGEI-KYOTO and named as the leader of the group in 2008 and organized the exposition “The Arts of KOGEI, Spirit of KYOTO” at Espace Bertin Poirée, Paris.
  • 2009Awarded the Order of the Rising Sun, Gold Rays with Neck Ribbon by the Japanese Government
  • 2011Recommended as a person contributed to culture by National government.

My idea for KOGEI

Mother Earth is the blessing of nature and got almost eternal life as a human formed in to some certain figure by their own hands supported his sense and idea. I yearned for the flame in a hole kiln for long time which shows a rich way for presentation of ceramics. So I have talked with earth and flame and found endless possibilities for art.