AKIRA YOSHIDA

STATEMENT

Born in Kanagawa, 1976. Graduated from Tama Art University in 2002. Akira Yoshida creates sculptures mainly out of fiberglass reinforced plastic (FRP) painted with an airbrush that serves as ironical takes on the contradictions and problems of contemporary society. His pieces seem at first glance to be friendly and embrace a Pop aesthetic, but are in fact infused with irony. This very strong contrast between their outer appearances and concepts is one of the most charming features of his works.

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ARTIST NEWS

STATEMENT

Akira Yoshida creates sculptures mainly out of fiberglass reinforced plastic (FRP) painted with an airbrush that serve as ironical takes on the contradictions and problems of contemporary society. His pieces seem at first glance to be friendly and embrace a Pop aesthetic, but are in fact infused with irony. This very strong contrast between their outer appearances and concepts is one of the most charming features of his works. His paints lacquered with an airbrush are so good that they even look like as if they are printed. Lately, his field has been spreading into public art such as the largest pieces of ‘INU HARIKO’ at the City One Station (第一城) of MTR, the biggest railway company in Hong Kong and ‘MANEKINEKO’, a welcoming cat named ‘Treasure Cat’ at Nishi Ginza Chance Center, the most popular lottery stand in Japan.


BIOGRAPHY

Biography

1976
Born in Kanagawa, Japan

Education

2002
Bachelor of Fine Arts, Tama Art University, Tokyo, Japan

EXHIBITIONS ＆ ART FAIRS

Selected Solo Exhibitions

2011
“Akira Yoshida solo exhibition”, YUKARI ART, Tokyo, Japan
2008
“Merry Christmas in Buddhist Altar Room”, YUKARI ART CONTEMPORARY, Tokyo, Japan
2007
“Inu Hariko”, Gallery ES, Tokyo, Japan
2006
“A serial sculpture”, Gallery ES, Tokyo, Japan
2005
“Akira Yoshida solo exhibition”, Makii masaru fine arts, Tokyo, Japan
“A serial sculpture”, Gallery ES, Tokyo, Japan
“Personal MIKOSHI”, Brick-one, Tokyo, Japan
2004
“King hamster’s counterattack”, Makii masaru fune arts, Tokyo, Japan
“JFL”, Gallery ES, Tokyo, Japan
2002
“carbon×sushioke”, Makii masaru fine arts, Tokyo, Japan

Selected Group Exhibitions

2011
“RE: 2011”, Galeria Punto, Tokyo, Japan
“ZIPANGU”, Takashimaya, Tokyo, Osaka and Kyoto, Japan
2010
“RE: 2010”, Galeria Punto, Tokyo, Japan
“Explorer −celebratory exhibition for the retirement of Atsuo ISHII−”, Tama Art University Museum, Tokyo, Japan
2009
“ANIMAMIX BIENNIAL 2009-2010”, Museum of Contemporary Art, Shanghai, Shanghai, China
“outdoors art exhibition: art by a river”, around Motomachi Gogan, Hiroshima, Japan
2008
“RE: 2008”, Galeria Punto, Tokyo, Japan
“NETWORK PROJECT JAPAN”, inter alia Art Contemporary, Korea
“The House -How to live with modern art-”, Nippon Homes Model Houses in Nishi-Azabu, Tokyo, Japan
“Imaginary animal kingdom”, YUKARI ART CONTEMPORARY, Tokyo, Japan
“Hiroshima-O”, ex bank of Japan, Hiroshima branch, Hiroshima, Japan
2007
“RE: 2007”, Galeria Punto, Tokyo, Japan
“LE MONDE COCO”, CHANEL NEXUS HALL, Tokyo, Japan
“ZERO-K”, SPACE ZERO, Tokyo, Japan
2006
“A lunch”, AXIS Gallery ANNEX, Tokyo, Japan
“Yamaguchi prefecture citizen’s cultural festival 2006”, Yamaguchi, Japan
“Hiroshima・O”, ex bank of Japan, Hiroshima branch, Hiroshima, Japan
“RE: ”, Galeria Punto, Tokyo, Japan
2005
“EMA daikanyama opening”, EMA daikanyama, Tokyo, Japan
“Rinjin no kei”, EMA daikanyama, Tokyo, Japan
“Animal Illusional World”, Sagamihara Citizen’s Gallery, Tokyo, Japan
2004
“gun gun organon”, Gallery Barco, Tokyo, Japan
2003
“FRONT BRIDGE”, Maebashi cultural laboratory, Gunma, Japan
“SAGAMIHARART OPEN STUDIO”, Sagamihara Citizen’s Gallery, Kanagawa, Japan
“FRONT BRIDGE”, Maebashi cultural laboratory, Gunma, Japan
2002
“Thrift pop”, Laforet Museum, Tokyo, Japan
“Six persons show”, Robinson department store, Kanagawa, Japan

Selected Art Fairs

2010
KIAF, Korea International Art Fair 2010, Seoul, Korea
ASIA TOP GALLERY HOTEL ART FAIR HONG KONG, Hong Kong
2009
Tokyo Contemporary Art Fair 2009, Tokyo, Japan
EMERGING DIRECTORS‘ ART FAIR ULTRA 002, Tokyo, Japan
ART TAIPEI 2009, Taipei, Taiwan
2007
Tokyo Contemporary Art Fair 2007, Tokyo, Japan
2004
KIAF, Korea International Art Fair 2004, Seoul, Korea

AWARDS

Selected Awards

2000
Grand prix on “Kitano Takeshi’s TV show “Daredemo PICASO”, competition by 5 art universities in Japan, Tokyo television

Commission Works

Selected Commission Works

2004
designed custom made jackets for mobile phone “panasonic FOMA p900i”

COLLECTION

Public Collection

Hong Kong MTR(Mass Transit Railway), City One Station
Nishi Ginza Chance Center, the most popular lottery stand in Japan