Ruiji Aiba is an artist with a penchant for play. No matter which piece, nor from what angle it is viewed, the work invites the viewer into his remarkable world. Whether small or large, his attention to detail, and intricate workmanship results in one of a kind pieces that show us a world of caricature and humor. His masterful employment of traditional crafts skills such as the nodding head technique used to make Kubifuri dolls of the Edo period, breathe new life into once nearly extinct techniques and uplifts them to a new art standard. In his world of allegoric art one finds the retelling or embodiment of myths, legends and folktales. The question he asks is whether like fables, legends and myths, our imagination is passed down generation to generation? Do we all imagine from the same ancient wellspring or, is the individual’s imagination uniquely the property of that person?

Profile
Born in Fukuoka Prefecture, Japan in 1964 Lives and works in Aichi, Japan |
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【Education】 | |
1992 | Graduated from Aichi Prefecture Vocational School, Major in Ceramics |
1988 | Graduated from Osaka Gakuin University |
【Selected Solo Exhibitions】 | |
2023 | Ruiji Aiba: Dancing With An Octopus (SEIZAN Gallery, New York) Ruiji Aiba: Innocence (SEIZAN Gallery, Tokyo) |
2022 | Ruiji Aiba: Zuiju-tan (Tale of The Four Symbols) (SEIZAN Gallery, Tokyo) |
2021 | Ruiji Aiba: Aominazuki (Tuboya Gallery, Kyoto) Ruiji Aiba: Zuiju-tan (Gallery Kenbishi, Aichi) Ruiji Aiba: Kiku-Jidō (SEIZAN Gallery, Tokyo) |
2020 | Ruiji Aiba Pottery Exhibition: Jidō (Gallery Kenbishi, Aichi) Ruiji Aiba Pottery Exhibition: Shuka (Ginza Mitsukoshi, Tokyo) Ruiji Aiba Pottery Exhibition: Wakaran (Paragpn Japan International Art Gallery, Kanagawa) Online Exhibition “Ruiji Aiba: LOTUS” (SEIZAN Gallery, Tokyo) |
2019 | Ruiji Aiba Pottery Exhibition: Mirages (SEIZAN Gallery, Tokyo) Ruiji Aiba Pottery Exhibition: Renge (Gallery Kenbishi, Aichi) Ruiji Aiba Pottery Exhibition: Minazuki (Ginza Mitsukoshi, Tokyo) Ruiji Aiba Pottery Exhibition: Gekka (Azuma-do, Saga) |
2018 | Ruiji Aiba Pottery Exhibition (SEIZAN Gallery, Tokyo) Ruiji Aiba Pottery Exhibition: Reborn (Gallery Kenbishi, Aichi) Ruiji Aiba Pottery Exhibition: Rasen (parabolica-bis, Tokyo) Ruiji Aiba Pottery Exhibition: Tabisuru Chawan (Syunju Sanso) |
2017 | Ruiji Aiba: Wakaran (Tokyu Kichijoji, Tokyo) Ruiji Aiba Pottery Exhibition: Shunjitsukyoso (SEIZAN Gallery, Tokyo) |
2016 | Ruiji Aiba Pottery Exhibition: Awakening Cats (SEIZAN Gallery, Tokyo) Ruiji Aiba Pottery Exhibition: Genei (Gallery Kenbishi, Aichi) |
2015 | Ruiji Aiba Pottery Exhibition: Tensei (Gallery Kenbishi, Aichi) Ruiji Aiba Pottery Exhibition: Teuchu (Ginza Mitsukoshi, Tokyo) Ruiji Aiba Pottery Exhibition: Wakaran (Azuma-do, Saga) |
【Selected Group Exhibitions】 | |
2023 | ART MIAMI (SEIZAN Gallery Booth, Miami, FL) |
2021 | BEDTIME STORIES (SEIZAN Gallery, New York) |
2020 | JO SAI SHO FUKU (Ward off Calamities, Invite Good Luck: Gods and Yōkai in Time of Pandemic (online exhibition, SEIZAN Gallery Tokyo & New York) |
Exhibitions
Ruiji Aiba: Innocence
10/03/2023(fri) - 18/03/2023(sat)
Ruiji Aiba: Zuiju-tan (Tale of The Four Symbols)
11/03/2022(fri) - 19/03/2022(sat)
Ruiji Aiba: Kiku-Jidō
12/02/2021(fri) - 20/02/2021(sat)
Online Exhibition “Ruiji Aiba: LOTUS”
16/04/2020(thu) - 08/05/2020(fri)
Ruiji Aiba Pottery Exhibition: Mirages
16/01/2019(wed) - 26/01/2019(sat)
Ruiji Aiba Pottery Exhibition
07/03/2018(wed) - 17/03/2018(sat)
Ruiji Aiba
Ruiji Aiba Pottery Exhibition: Awakening Cats
13/01/2016(wed) - 29/01/2016(fri)
Ruiji Aiba