Artists

Inspired by the humble beauty and deep-seated history of the trees that grow on the mountains of Japan and in the countryside, Shigemi Yasuhara’s paintings are visions of a world enveloped in stillness and serenity. With a self-described intense focus on natural elements, Yasuhara paints his trees, often beech or horse chestnut, on the traditional Japanese paper called washi using mineral pigments such as lapis lazuli and verdigris. The simple color pallet and immaculate detail turn the everyday landscapes into emotional scenes full of tension, stillness, and splendor.

Profile

Born in Saitama, Japan in 1984
Lives and works in Saitama, Japan
Inyū member of Nihon Bijutsuin (The Japan Art Institute)
【Education】
2016 Finished Doctorate at Department of Conservation, Major in Conservation and Restoration of Japanese Painting
2012 Received Master’s degree at Tokyo University of the Arts, Graduate School of Fine Arts, Department of Conservation, Major in Conservation and Restoration of Japanese Painting
2010 Graduated from Tokyo University of the Arts, School of Fine Arts, Department of
Painting, Major in Nihonga
【Selected Solo Exhibitions】
2023 Shigemi Yasuhara Nihonga-ten: Sokohakatonaku Tadayou Mori no Ibuki (Nihombashi Mitsukoshi, Tokyo)
2022 Drawing Book Launch Exhibition: Shigemi Yasuhara (SEIZAN Gallery, Tokyo)
2021 Shigemi Yasuhara (SEIZAN Gallery, Tokyo)
2018 Shigemi Yasuhara-ten (SEIZAN Gallery, Tokyo)
Shigemi Yasuhara-ten (Sendai Mitsukoshi, Miyagi)
2015 Shigemi Yasuhara-ten (Art Space Rashinban, Tokyo)
【Selected Group Exhibitions】
2022 Art on Paper(Pier 36, Downtown Manhattan, SEIZAN Gallery Booth, New York)
2018 NIHONGA:CONTEMPORARY ART OF JAPAN (SEIZAN Gallery New York、New York)
2017 Kaku no Kai (SEIZAN Gallery, Tokyo)
Something Precioius: Strawberry (SEIZAN Gallery, Tokyo)
Ma no Kouzou-ten (Iwasaki Museum, Kanagawa)
2016 Taira no Kai (Art Space Rashinban, Tokyo)
Dialogues avec les aînés (Galerie 48, Lyon)
Natsu no Geijutsusai 2016: Jisedai wo ninau wakate sakka sakuhin-ten (Nihonbashi Mitsukoshi, Tokyo)
2015 Tokyo University of the Arts Doctoral Program Final Exhibition 2015 (The University Art Museum, Tokyo)
2014 Kaku no Kai (Tokyo Metropolitan Art Museum, Tokyo)
The 2nd Mukyu noKai (Nihonbashi Mitsukoshi, Tokyo)
Exhibition for research presentation: Hosen cultural foundation (Tokyo University of the Arts, Tokyo)
2013 In-ten in spring
In-ten (through 2014)
2012 Graduation Works Exhibitions (Tokyo University of the Arts, Tokyo)
The 27th Yume no kai (Seibu Ikebukuro, Tokyo)
Romania-ten (Hotel Chinzanso, Tokyo)
Kansei kinen-ten Koumyouin Shouhekiga “Hasuike-zu” (Fei Art Museum Yokohama, Kanagawa)
2010 Graduation Works Exhibitions (Tokyo Metropolitan Art Museum, Tokyo)
【Public Collections】
The University of Art Museum Tokyo University of The Arts
Yamatane Museum of Art (Tokyo)
Colección SOLO (Madrid, Spain)
【Awards】
2019 Grand prize at the Yamatane Museum of Art, Nihonga Award (Yamatane Museum of Arts, Tokyo)
2016 Nomura Art Award for Thesis Work (Tokyo Medical and Dental University)
Ikuo Hirayama Art and Culture Award
2015 Hirayama Ikuo Culture and Art Scholarship (Tokyo University of the Arts)
2011 Honorable Mention for Thesis Work (Tokyo Medical and Dental University, Liberal Arts Department)
2008 Ataka Award Scholarship (Tokyo University of the Arts)
【Others】
2022 Front page design of the book What Will You Do, Ieyasu? by Ryota Kosawa, Fuyu Kimata (2022-2023) published by NHK Publishing, Inc. (through 2023)
Nihonga no Michishirube Shigemi Yasuhara Shitazu-shu (2022) published by Japan Publications,Inc.
2021 Art staff for the statue of Chikai Kitagawa at the Tōshōdai-ji, Nara
2019 12 shoku de kakeru Hajimete no Nihonga Kyoushitsu (2019) published by Graphic-sha
2015 Conservation project of celling painting at the Yamatsumi Shrine, Fukushima
2014 Member of scientific analysis project of Shunsō Hishida
2012 Art staff for the Koumyouin Shouhekiga “Hasuike-zu”
Conservation project of the Kakurin-ji, Hyogo
2011 Art staff for the  Opera “Kentoshi”
Art staff for the Zuishinmon Gate, Ōkunitama Shrine
Instructor at the MI-LAB Artist-in-Residence