Keiji Ito

  • Installation view from “Keiji Ito: Pictures and Ceramic Sculptures” at Tomio Koyama Gallery Roppongi, Tokyo, 2023 ©︎Keiji Ito Photo by Kenji Takahashi
  • Installation view from “Keiji Ito: Pictures and Ceramic Sculptures” at Tomio Koyama Gallery Roppongi, Tokyo, 2023 ©︎Keiji Ito Photo by Kenji Takahashi
  • Installation view from “Keiji Ito: Pictures and Ceramic Sculptures” at Tomio Koyama Gallery Roppongi, Tokyo, 2023 ©︎Keiji Ito Photo by Kenji Takahashi
  • Installation view from “Keiji Ito: Pictures and Ceramic Sculptures” at Tomio Koyama Gallery Roppongi, Tokyo, 2023 ©︎Keiji Ito Photo by Kenji Takahashi
  • Installation view from “Keiji Ito: Pictures and Ceramic Sculptures” at Tomio Koyama Gallery Roppongi, Tokyo, 2023 ©︎Keiji Ito Photo by Kenji Takahashi
  • Installation view from “Keiji Ito: Pictures and Ceramic Sculptures” at Tomio Koyama Gallery Roppongi, Tokyo, 2023 ©︎Keiji Ito Photo by Kenji Takahashi
  • Installation view from “Keiji Ito: Pictures and Ceramic Sculptures” at Tomio Koyama Gallery Roppongi, Tokyo, 2023 ©︎Keiji Ito Photo by Kenji Takahashi
  • Installation view from “Keiji Ito: Pictures and Ceramic Sculptures” at Tomio Koyama Gallery Roppongi, Tokyo, 2023 ©︎Keiji Ito Photo by Kenji Takahashi
  • h.37.0 × w.11.0 × d.9.0 cm Photo by Katsuhiko Kodera ©︎Keiji Ito
  • h.31.0 × w.13.0 × d.11.0 cm Photo by Katsuhiko Kodera ©︎Keiji Ito
  • h.28.0 × w.30.0 × d.30.0 cm Photo by Katsuhiko Kodera ©︎Keiji Ito
  • h.45.0 × w.40.0 × d.11.0 cm Photo by Katsuhiko Kodera ©︎Keiji Ito
  • 顔 oil on canvas 65.2 × 53.0 cm Photo by Katsuhiko Kodera ©︎Keiji Ito
  • おんな oil on canvas 65.2 × 53.0 cm Photo by Katsuhiko Kodera ©︎Keiji Ito
  • 9の顔 oil on canvas 91.0 × 65.2 cm Photo by Katsuhiko Kodera ©︎Keiji Ito
  • Installation view from “Keiji Ito” at Tomio Koyama Gallery, Tokyo, 2022 ©︎Keiji Ito photo by Kenji Takahashi
  • Installation view from “Keiji Ito” at Tomio Koyama Gallery, Tokyo, 2022 ©︎Keiji Ito photo by Kenji Takahashi
  • Installation view from “Keiji Ito” at Tomio Koyama Gallery, Tokyo, 2022 ©︎Keiji Ito photo by Kenji Takahashi
  • Installation view from “Keiji Ito” at Tomio Koyama Gallery, Tokyo, 2022 ©︎Keiji Ito photo by Kenji Takahashi
  • Installation view from “Keiji Ito” at Tomio Koyama Gallery, Tokyo, 2022 ©︎Keiji Ito photo by Kenji Takahashi
  • Installation view from “Keiji Ito” at Tomio Koyama Gallery, Tokyo, 2022 ©︎Keiji Ito photo by Kenji Takahashi
  • Installation view from “Keiji Ito” at Tomio Koyama Gallery, Tokyo, 2022 ©︎Keiji Ito photo by Kenji Takahashi
  • Installation view from “Keiji Ito” at Tomio Koyama Gallery, Tokyo, 2022 ©︎Keiji Ito photo by Kenji Takahashi
  • Installation view from “Keiji Ito” at Tomio Koyama Gallery, Tokyo, 2022 ©︎Keiji Ito photo by Kenji Takahashi
  • Installation view from “Keiji Ito” at Tomio Koyama Gallery, Tokyo, 2022 ©︎Keiji Ito photo by Kenji Takahashi
  • Installation view from “Keiji Ito” at Tomio Koyama Gallery, Tokyo, 2022 ©︎Keiji Ito photo by Kenji Takahashi
  • Installation view from “Keiji Ito” at Tomio Koyama Gallery, Tokyo, 2022 ©︎Keiji Ito photo by Kenji Takahashi
  • Installation view from “Keiji Ito” at Tomio Koyama Gallery, Tokyo, 2022 ©︎Keiji Ito photo by Kenji Takahashi
  • かお-ほうよう Face-Embrace 2018 陶土、釉薬、鉛 ceramic, glaze, lead h.32.0 cm × w.32.3 cm x d.13.5cm ©Keiji Ito
  • 家と男女 House with Man and Woman 2019 陶土、釉薬 ceramic, glaze h.29.8 x w.34.9 x d.13.8 cm ©Keiji Ito
  • おとこ Man 2012 陶土、釉薬 ceramic, glaze h.68.3x w.34.0 x d.24.5 cm ©Keiji Ito

Born in 1935, Toki, Gifu Prefecture. Ito grew up in Mino that is home to a thriving ceramic industry, and whose potteries had undergone major reform in the Azuchi-Momoyama period. He currently continues live and work in Mino where both his home and workshop are located.
Ito entered Musashino Art University in 1954, where he studied oil painting. Upon graduating university he joined the design department of the Gifu Prefectural Ceramics Research Institute, where he was greatly influenced by Sakuzo Hinone, who was a leading figure in Japan’s crafts movement. While at first solely engaging in two-dimensional design work, he eventually also began to produce ceramics himself due to realizing the limitations of the connection between designing on a flat surface and with the actual three-dimensional works for which they were intended. Ever since, in addition to everyday vessels, tea ware, and crafts, he has produced three-dimensional forms such as “ceramic sculptures” and “installations” which from early on have combined other materials like iron. As a major driving force in contemporary Mino ceramics, Ito continues to pave the way for many young artists.

Solo Exhibitions

2023 Keiji Ito: Pictures and Ceramic Sculptures” Tomio Koyama Gallery, Tokyo, Japan
2022 Keiji Ito” Tomio Koyama Gallery, Tokyo, Japan
Kogen, Nagoya, Aichi, Japan
2021 “KATACHI” L Gallery, Nagoya, Aichi, Japan
"The Repose of Souls: The 10th Anniversary Exhibition of 2011 off the Pacific coast of Tohoku Earthquake" Space Arte Meister, Aizu, Fukushima, Japan
2019 “Keiji Ito Ceramics Exhibition: Playing with Clay” Wako Hall, Ginza, Tokyo, Japan
2017 ”Never forget memories“ Oriental Gallery, Hiroshima, Japan
2013 “Keiji Ito: Painting, Craft, Form” Museum of Contemporary Ceramic Art, Gifu, Japan
2012 “The Repose of Souls” Space Arte Meister, Aizu, Fukushima, Japan
2011 “Keiji Ito: The Scale of Mind” The Museum of Fine Arts, Gifu / Paramita Museum, Mie, Japan
2009 “Keiji Ito: MEN”JR Nagoya Takashimaya, Iichi, Japan
2003 Gallery NOW, Toyama, Japan
2002 “Tsura, Zura” “Scale Series” Galerie Momogusa, Tajimi, Gifu, Japan
1999 “Japanese Pottery, Hiroshima Series” Gallery Momogusa, Tajimi, Gifu, Japan
1998 “1965-1998” Gallery Momogusa, Tajimi, Gifu, Japan
1995 Hetjens-Museum, Düsseldorf, Germany [Traveled to Gallery Böwing, Hannover, Germany/Musée des Arts Décoratifs de la Ville de Lausanne, Switzerland]
1993 Gallery Kawabune, Tokyo, Japan
1991 Gallery Caption, Gifu, Japan
1990 Gallery Tsubaki, Tokyo, Japan
1987 Gallery Shiro, Osaka, Japan
1976 Kasahara Gallery, Osaka, Japan

Group Exhibitions

2023 “24th Anniversary Project: Favorite Shapes” Gallery Suki, Aichi, Japan
“Keiji Ito and the artists felt his influence” RakuSui-tei Museum, Toyama, Japan
2021 “GO FOR KOUGEI” Shoukouji, Takaoka, Toyama, Japan
“Kiyoyuki Kato & Keiji Ito, Masters of Talking with Soil” Kogen, Nagoya, Aichi, Japan
Tajimi Mosaic Tile Museum Gifu, Japan
2013 “Keiji Ito + Ryoji Koie” RakuSui-tei Museum, Toyama, Japan
2012 “The Repose of Souls” Space Arte Meister, Aizu, Fukushima, Japan
2008 “aim'08: Grow from the soil” Tajimi, Toki, Mizunami, Gifu, Japan

Public Collections

Aichi Prefectural Ceramic Museum, Japan
Art Gallery of New South Wales, Australia
Everson Museum of Art, NY, United States
Gifu Prefectural Museum of Fine Arts, Japan
Gifu Prefectural Museum of Modern Ceramic Art, Japan
Hessian State Museum, Kassel, Germany
Kanji Kikuchi Memorial Tomi Art Museum, Japan
Kyoto National Museum of Modern Art, Japan
Musée Ariana, Switzerland
Mosaic Tile Museum, Tajimi, Japan
Nanjo Art Museum, Okinawa, Japan
Paramita Museum
Rakusui-tei Art Museum
Shigaraki Ceramic Cultural Park, Japan
The Honolulu Museum of Art, HI, United States
The International Museum of Ceramics Foundation in Faenza, Italy
The Korea Ceramic Foundation, Korea
The National Art Center, Tokyo Crafts Gallery
Tokyo Opera City Art Gallery

Awards

2017 Yakushiji Temple Heisei's 83 treasures
2016 Japan Ceramic Association Gold Award
2013 Ministry of Education, Regional Cultural and Artistic Merit Award
2007 Enku Award at the Enku Grand Prize Exhibition
2006 Gifu Prefecture Art and Culture Commendation
1989 Collection of Mino ceramic works
1981 Faenza International Ceramics Exhibition, Italy
1979 `79 Japan Craft Exhibition
1978 World Craft Council - Japan Craft Competition, Art Publishing Award