TAMURA KŌICHI (1918-1987)

1918 Born in Sano, 1941 Graduated from the Department of Crafts, National University of Fine Arts 1946 Started training under the direction of Tomimoto Kenkichi 1953 Establish the kiln in Sano, Tochigi prefecture 1961 Became a member of Shinshô kai (New Craftart Master Association) 1962 Became a member of Nihon Ceramic Association Installed ceramic wall at Sano City Hall 1967 Named associate professor at National University of Fine Arts and Music, Tokyo 1971 Invited to the 1st Mainichi Nihon Ceramic Exhibition (then, annually) 1977 Became professor at National University of Fine Arts and Music, 1980 Elected vice-president of Nihon Crafts Association 1986 Designated as Living National Treasure Named professor emeritus at Named associate professor at National University of Fine Arts and Music, Tokyo Installed ceramic wall at City Hall 1987 Died at the age of 68

Awards:

1948 Awarded the Tochigi Prefectural Art Festival Prize 1956 Asahi Newspaper Prize and Matsuzakaya Prize at the Contemporary Ceramics Exhibition (then, annually accepted until 1962) 1957 Won the Nihon Ceramic Association Prize at the Nihon Ceramic Association Award 1958 Asahi Newspaper Prize at the Japan Contemporary Ceramics Exhibition 1960 Awarded the Encouraging Prize at the Nihon Traditional Crafts Exhibition (then, annually accepted and awarded) 1961 Awarded the Tomimoto Kenkichi Prize at the 16th Shinsho-kai Exhibition 1967 Golden Prize at the Istanbul International Ceramic Art Exhibition 1970 Awarded Cultural Medal from Tochigi Prefecture 1976 Gold Prize at the Nihon Ceramic Association Award 1979 Received Blue Ribbon Medal from the Government 1983 Received a Purple Ribbon Medal from the Government 1987 Awarded The Order of the Sacred Treasure Medal from the Government

Solo Exhibitions:

1953 First solo show, Nihonbashi Takashimaya Art Gallery, Tokyo (then, annually until 1985) 1961 Solo exhibition at Sano Hôryû-ji Wakô-den, Sano, Tochigi (also in 1966) 1963 Solo exhibition in celebration of 20th anniversary of Sano Chambers of Commerce, Sano 1979 Solo exhibition of underglazed, Nihonbashi, Mitsukoshi Art Gallery, Tokyo 1984 Solo exhibition, Fred Jahn Gallery, Munich

JOAN B MIRVISS LTD JAPANESE FINE ART 39 EAST 78TH STREET, 4TH FLOOR, NEW YORK, NY 10075 Phone: 212-799-4021 Fax: 212-721-5148 www.mirviss.com

Group Exhibitions: 1947 Inaugural exhibition of Shinshô bijutsu kôgei kai (New Craftart Master Association) 1959 Contemporary Japanese Ceramics, National Museum of Modern Art, Tokyo (then, with invitation in 1963, 1964, 1968 and 1970) 1984 Earth and Fire, travelling exhibiton in Germany; lectured at Dusserdorf and Munich 2013 Fired Earth, Woven Bamboo. Contemporary Japanese Ceramics and Bamboo Art, Museum of Fine Arts, Boston

Select Collections:

Brooklyn Museum, NY Hagi Urakami Museum, Hagi Hikarigaoka Museum of Art, Tokyo Kanô Museum of Art, Yasuki Minneapolis Institute of Arts, MN Musée national de la porcelain Adrien-Dubouché, Limoges FR Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, MA National Museum of Modern Art, Kyoto National Museum of Modern Art, Tokyo Sano Tôseki Art Museum, Sano Tamura Koichi Museum, Sano Tochigi Prefectural Museum of Fine Art, Utsunomiya The University Art Museum, Tokyo University of the Arts University of Michigan Museum of Art, MI Yale University Art Gallery, CT Yoshizawa Memorial Museum of Art, Sano

Selected references:

Gendai nihon no tōgei [Contemporary Japanese Ceramics}, Appendix, Gendai tōgeika meikan [Directory of Japanese Contemporary Ceramic Artists]. Tokyo: Kōdansha, 1985: p.104

Aoki, Hiroshi. “Tamura Kōichi: Sōshoku o koeta etsuke [Tamura Kōichi: Painted Motif Beyond a Mere Decoration].” Honoho Geijutsu 57 (1999): pp. 82-84

Fascination of Ceramics, Masterpieces of Modern Japanese Pottery from the Gisela Freudenberg Collection, Museum für Angewandte Kunst Frankfurt, Germany

Japanese Ceramics Today: Masterworks from the Kikuchi Collection. Exhibition Catalogue. Japan: Hakuhodo Incorporated, 1983.

29 Masters: Living National Treasures, Hankyū Art Gallery, Umeda, Osaka, 2010

Todate, Kazuko. Fired Earth, Woven Bamboo: Contemporary Japanese Ceramics and Bamboo Art (MFA Publications: Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, 2013). Exhibition Catalogue.

JOAN B MIRVISS LTD JAPANESE FINE ART 39 EAST 78TH STREET, 4TH FLOOR, NEW YORK, NY 10075 Phone: 212-799-4021 Fax: 212-721-5148 www.mirviss.com