About me and my work / Yuko Takada Keller
I used to be a weaver in some years after I graduated Kyoto City University of Art (M.F.A 1983). And I started to use tracing paper from 1986, so I’ve been using tracing paper for more than 30 years to create my soft sculpture in the air. But not only tracing paper, I also use some other material like polypropylene for the public art as a stable material.
At the beginning of using tracing paper, I hoped my works would remind the viewer of something pure and natural in this world. But I gradually began to be conscious of a skin membrane in between transparency and un-transparency that tracing paper has.
So, I wanted to represent something more, not only pure or natural, in this world. Sometimes we can’t see things visually, but they exist in our mind.
From 1996, I have been using tiny small triangle pieces in my work. It symbolizes something like a molecule. A molecule of water or light or air. I would like to draw like a pointillism with this small piece as a molecule. When I am conscious of a skin membrane in the air, I can feel invisible things. It’s something we have already forgotten or we don’t try to see. But we have to remember, and we have to try to see. There is a value in this invisible world.
I have been exhibiting my airily sculpture in the different spaces in these many years, and the form itself has gradually more complicated. As a practical part, my motivation is endless to create bigger scale and more free drawing style in the air. So, I’m always thinking about how I can install in the space and seeking the public space to install my work. Especially Hospital or some Nursing care institution would be wonderful for my work, because I want to people to feel comfortable and my work can help to heal peoples mind.
As a concept, not only to find something important in our mind, but also to respect more about cultural differences between the people to people. I would like my work to make more dialogue with people in the public space. Art have some social roles, and depending on the style of the art, it has different role. That is why it is very interesting that artist create their own style and many kinds of art are exist, so that we can enjoy or think about some topics more deeply. And my art role is healing the peoples mind and respect for the peace and earth.
YUKO TAKADA KELLER, born in Osaka 1958
www.yukotakada.com
www.facebook.com/YukoTakadaKeller.Fanpage
Member of Danish Billedkunstnernes Forbund
2014~2019 Guest Professor of Sagami Women’s University
1997~ Moved to Denmark. Artist, Curator
1994-97 Associate Professor; Seian College of Art and Design
1990-94 Instructor; Seian Women’s College
1983-90 Lecturer of Kyoto Junior College of Fine Art,
Lecturer of Seian Women’s College and KCUA.
1983 M.F.A. Kyoto City University of Art
50 Solo Exhibitions since 1982
2018 Gallery Nakamura / Kyoto, Japan
Space Yui / Tokyo, Japan
2017 Kulturhavn Gilleleje / Gilleleje, Denmark
2015 STUDIO HOUSE SERIKEI / Fukuoka, Japan
Portalen / Greve, Denmark
2014 Gallery 99/14.& COHJU contemporary art / Okayama, Kyoto JP
2013 Gjethuset & Bagsværd Kirke / Frederiksværk, Bagsværdkirke DK
and 41 more solo exhibitions in Denmark, Japan and Belgium since 1982.
Speciel Solo Installation
nov.2017~jan.2018 BRØNDUMS SAL / SKAGENS KUNSTMUSEUM
111 Group Exhibitions since 1982
Participated 111 group exhibitions in Denmark, Japan, Holland, Germany, Finland, England, U.S.A, Russia, Hungary, Belgium, Switzerland and Canada since 1982.
Commissioned Works
2015 Mimihara Hospital / Osaka, Japan
2007 Hyogo Nursing Association / Kobe, Japan
2004 Restaurant Över Gården / Nishinomiya, Japan
1998 Hayashima Town Hall/ Okayama, Japan
1997 Tokyo Bureau of Waterworks / Tokyo, Japan Public Collections
2019~ Kulturhavn Gilleleje / Gilleleje, Denmark
2016~ Bagsværd Church / Bagsværd, Denmark
2006~ Hillerød Bibliotek / Hillerød, Denmark
2000~ Portalen / Greve, Denmark
1996~ SEIRYUKAI / Kyoto, Japan
1993~ National Museum / Osaka, Japan
Awards / Grant
2018 Scandinavia Japan Sasakawa Foundation (also 2014,2011)
2018 Royal Danish Embassy in Tokyo Japan
2018 Kund Højgaards Fond (also 2017, 2015)
2008 TOYOTA Fonden DANMARK (also 2002,2004,2005,2007)
2007 Pola Art Foundation(Japan), The Nomura Cultural Foundation(Japan)
2004 Frederiksborg Amts Visual Artist Prize 2004 / Denmark
1995 First Prize; ”White Nights” II. International Textile Exhibition / Russia
1992 Excellent Prize; The 2nd Kyoto Selected Craft Exhibition / Japan
1990 Excellent Prize; Kyoto Art Craft Biennale / Japan
1989 Excellent Prize; Kanazawa Selected Craft Exhibition / Japan
1984 Kyoto Design Prize; Kyoto Design Forum / Japan
Art Collaboration
2014 Lexus TOYOTA / Kobe, Japan
2012 BVLGARI / Ginza, Tokyo Japan
ACUTS / Shinjuku, TOKYO Japan, ・ dia collection / Osaka, Japan
Curate / Arrangement Exhibition
2017 ”Essens – IKI” – Dansk-Japansk Moderenekunst – (Dronninglund Kunstcenter/ Danmark)
2014 ”FIBER FUTURES – Japan’s Textile Pioneers – ” (Gjethuset/ Frederiksværk, Danmark)
2011 ”Japanese Harmony” (Portalen / Greve, Danmark)
2008 ”Japansk Vinde” Vol.2 (Galleri SPOT/ Frederiksværk, Danmark)
2007 “Japanese Suppleness − Contemporary Art from Japan” (Gjethuset / Frederiksværk, Danmark)
Queen Margrethe II visited, and Yuko guide her the exhibition.
2005 ”Spring Light” 2 Japanese artists exhibition (Munkeruphus / Dronnningmølle, Danmark)
2004 ”Japansk Vinde” Vol.1 (Galleri SPOT/ Frederiksværk, Danmark)
2002 ”Soft Sculpture from the East” (Portalen / Greve, Danmark)