Rieko Otake

  • Installation view from ““Festival MANAZURU sculpted Stones” at Manazuru, Kanagawa, Japan, 2022 ©︎Rieko Otake photo by Tadasu Yamamoto
  • Installation view from ““Festival MANAZURU sculpted Stones” at Manazuru, Kanagawa, Japan, 2022 ©︎Rieko Otake photo by Tadasu Yamamoto
  • Like a Dog 2021 wood (Katsura/ 桂  h.66.6 x w.14.6 x d.13.4 cm ©︎Rieko Otake
  • Like a Doll 2021 wood (Katsura/ 桂  h.74.5 x w.14.9 x d.15.9 cm ©︎Rieko Otake
  • Tears 2021 wood (Magnolia obovata/ 朴) h.41.8 x w.58.0 x d.18.5 cm ©︎Rieko Otake
  • あなたはどこから来たの？ Where do you come from? 2021 wood (Camphor/ 樟） h.216.5 x w.65.9 x d.65.3 cm ©︎Rieko Otake, photo by Hidehiko Omata
  • Daughter 2021 wood (Camphor/ 樟） h.172.5 x w.56.1 x d.82.8 cm ©︎Rieko Otake, photo by Hidehiko Omata
  • 小さな人 Small Girl 2021 wood (Camphor/ 樟） h.99.2 x w.44.6 x d.37.6 cm ©︎Rieko Otake, photo by Hidehiko Omata
  • Sisters 2021 wood (Camphor/ 樟） h.124.1 x w.58.0 x d.36.5 cm ©︎Rieko Otake, photo by Hidehiko Omata
  • Like an Owl 2021 wood (Katsura/ 桂） h.53.4 x w.24.3 x d.16.0 cm ©︎Rieko Otake, photo by Hidehiko Omata
  • 魔法をかける 2021 wood (Cherry tree/ 桜) h.23.2 x w.9.5 x d.12.8 cm ©︎Rieko Otake, photo by Hidehiko Omata
  • 回転 Turning 2019 h.32.8 × w.24.0 × d.24.7 cm ©︎Rieko Otake
  • Snow 2018 wood h.78.0 × w.18.0 × d.18.5 cm ©︎Rieko Otake
  • ふたつの子ども double children 2017 h.98.0 × w.47.0 × d.40.0 cm wood ©Rieko Otake
  • Installation view from "Sculpture-anachronism and flash" at Tokyo University of the Arts, Tokyo, Japan, 2016 ©Rieko Otake photo by Hidehiko Omata
  • Good night 2015 wood h.21 × w.7.5 × d.19 cm ©Rieko Otake
  • Cat hat 2015 wood h.42.0 × w.22.5 × d.16.0 cm ©Rieko Otake
  • Poodle 2015 wood h.33.5 × w.21.0 × d.14.5 cm ©Rieko Otake
  • 鳥飼い Girl with her bird 2015 wood h.110.0 × w.43.0 × d.40.0 cm ©Rieko Otake
  • Leg girl 2015 wood h.42.0 × w.10.0 × d.17.0 cm ©Rieko Otake
  • Dance 2015 wood h.31.0 × w.58.0 × d.16.0 cm ©Rieko Otake
  • ピエロ Pierrot 2015 wood h.25.0 × w.4.5 × d.4.5 cm ©Rieko Otake
  • 羊役 2 Sheep boy 2 2015 wood h.116.0 × w.34.0 × d.23.5 cm ©Rieko Otake
  • Installation view from "Way in, or Out" at 8/ ART GALLERY/ Tomio Koyama Gallery, Tokyo, Japan, 2015 ©Rieko Otake photo by Kenji Takahashi
  • Installation view from "Way in, or Out" at 8/ ART GALLERY/ Tomio Koyama Gallery, Tokyo, Japan, 2015 ©Rieko Otake photo by Kenji Takahashi
  • Installation view from "Way in, or Out" at 8/ ART GALLERY/ Tomio Koyama Gallery, Tokyo, Japan, 2015 ©Rieko Otake photo by Kenji Takahashi
  • In the Pocket 2012
 wood 
h.8.0 × w.10.0 × d.5.0 cm ©Rieko Otake
  • My Ghost 2012 
wood 
h.26.5 × w.7.3 × d.7.7 cm
 ©Rieko Otake

  • Hat Star 2012 
wood
 h.41.0 × w.24.0 × d.15.0 cm
 ©Rieko Otake
  • Somewhere 2012 
wood
 h.64.0 × w.10.0 × d.18.0 cm ©Rieko Otake
  • Dog’s Ear 2012 
wood
 h.100.0 × w.65.0 × d.51.0 cm ©Rieko Otake
  • なみだ池 Tear Pond 2012 
wood 
h.80.0 × w.124.5 × d.57.0 cm 
©Rieko Otake
  • 3本角 Three Horns 2012
 wood
 h.150.0 × w.109.5 × d.40.5 cm ©Rieko Otake
  • In or Out 2012 
wood
 h.214.0 × w.66.0 × d.78.0 cm
 ©Rieko Otake

  • ふたり Two 2012
 wood
 h.30.0 × w.29.0 × d.19.0 cm 
©Rieko Otake
  • Installation view from "Perhaps, Mimi" at Tomio Koyama Gallery, Tokyo, Japan, 2012 ©Rieko Otake
  • Installation view from "Perhaps, Mimi" at Tomio Koyama Gallery, Tokyo, Japan, 2012 ©Rieko Otake
  • room 2009 wood h.155.0 × w.270.0 × d.70.5 cm  ©Rieko Otake
  • girl 2009 
wood h.185.0 × w.50.0 × d.83.0 cm 
©Rieko Otake
  • とりとり Tori Tori 2009
 wood h.42.0 × w.39.0 × d.45.0 cm ©Rieko Otake
  • あこがれ Longing 2009
 wood h.111.5 × w.20.0 × d.17.0 cm ©Rieko Otake
  • Installation view from "Dreamlike" at Tomio Koyama Gallery Kyoto, Japan, 2009 ©Rieko Otake
  • Installation view from "Dreamlike" at Tomio Koyama Gallery Kyoto, Japan, 2009 ©Rieko Otake
  • とりとり Tori-Tori 2008 woods h.39.0 × w.91.0 × d.15.0 cm ©Rieko Otake
  • とりとり Tori-Tori 2008 
woods h.65.0 × w.109.0 × d.56.0 cm ©Rieko Otake
  • とりとり Tori-Tori 2008 
woods h.125 × w.22.5 × d.15 cm ©Rieko Otake
  • とりとり Tori-Tori 2008 
woods h.20 × w.11.3 × d.10.5 cm ©Rieko Otake
  • Installation view from "Tori-Tori" at Tomio Koyama Gallery, Tokyo, Japan, 2008 ©Rieko Otake
  • ピエロ Pierrot 2007
 wood h.25.0 × w.11.0 × d.13.5 cm ©Rieko Otake
  • ママ Mama 2007
 woods h.55.0 × w.12.5 × d.17.5 cm ©Rieko Otake
  • へび snake 2006 wood h.31.0 × w.21.5 × d.17.0 cm ©Rieko Otake

Rieko Otake’s woodcarvings express such motifs as young girls, birds and deer and even while her work looks somewhat delicate and unstable at times, one senses a unique strength in its universal presence replete with grace. Otake consistently uses the wood of camphor, cypress, and katsura trees, working within a method of adding finishing touches to a foundation of non-colored wood. Approaching closer the works, one becomes aware of an unexpected vigor to the chisel marks. She is affected by the importance of the rhythm of the repeated carving motions: a sincere process of exchange as if the tree and one’s breathing might become joined together, so that the artwork appears as story replete with lyricism.

Rieko Otake was born in 1978 in Kanagawa Prefecture. In 2004 she graduated from Tokyo University of the Arts’ Graduate School of Fine Arts, majoring in sculpture, and completed her PhD in 2007. Her works have been collected in the Takahashi and JAPIGOZZI Collections. As well as exhibiting in the show “As Long As Rainbow Lasts” (Soka Art Center, Taipei, 2011), she has also held four solo exhibitions at Tomio Koyama Gallery.

Solo Exhibitions

2021 “Where do you come from?” Tomio Koyama Gallery, Tokyo, Japan
2015 “Way in, or Out” 8/ ART GALLERY/ Tomio Koyama Gallery, Tokyo, Japan
2012 “Perhaps, Mimi” Tomio Koyama Gallery, Tokyo, Japan
2009 “Dreamlike” Tomio Koyama Gallery Kyoto, Japan
2008 “Tori-Tori” Tomio Koyama Gallery, Tokyo, Japan

Group Exhibitions

2022 “Natural Function” Spiral Garden, Tokyo, Japan
“Flower of Life” Vangi Sculpture Garden Museum, Shizuoka, Japan
2021 “Sculptures with the house” Denchu Hirakushi House and Atelier, Tokyo, Japan
“Festival Manazuru Sculpted Stones” Kanagawa, Japan
“FLOWERS & BIRDS” Tomio Koyama Gallery, Tokyo, Japan
2020 "CADAN Showcase 01 ‘NEWSPACE / NEWCOLLABORATION’" CADAN Yurakucho, Tokyo
2019 “Sculptures with the house” Denchu Hirakushi House and Atelier, Tokyo, Japan
2018 “New Work From an Old Studio” Denchu Hirakushi House and Atelier, Tokyo, Japan
The University Art Museum, Tokyo University of the Arts, Tokyo, Japan
“Contemporary Wood-Carved Netsuke” The Japan Foundation Center for Cultural Exchange in Vietnam, Hanoi, Vietnam
2017 “The Riddle of Art: Takahashi Collection Resonance or Repellence?” Shizuoka Prefectural Museum of Art, Shizuoka, Japan
“The Encyclopedia of Masamichi Katayama: Life is hard... Let's go shopping.” Tokyo Opera City Art Gallery, Tokyo, Japan
2016 “Sculpture-anachronism and flash” Tokyo University of the Arts, Tokyo, Japan
2015 “New Work From an Old Studio #10” Denchu Hirakushi house and atelier/ Tokyo University of the Arts, Tokyo, Japan
2013 “Ginza Mitsukoshi × Tomio Koyama Gallery Art Selection” Ginza Mitsukoshi 8th Floor Gallery, Tokyo, Japan
2012 “Rieko Otake, Hideaki Kawashima, Naoki Koide” 8/ ART GALLERY/ Tomio Koyama Gallery, Tokyo, Japan
2011 “As Long As Rainbow Lasts” Soka Art Center, Taipei, Taiwan
2009 “SCULPTURE -BLUES & LOW BLOW” Chinretsukan Gallery, The University Museum, Tokyo University of the Arts, Japan
2007 “Sculpture from Stories” Chinretsukan Gallery, The University Museum, Tokyo University of the Arts, Japan
2006 “The 9th Taro Okamoto Award for Contemporary Art” Taro Okamoto Museum of Art, Kanagawa, Japan
2005 “New Work From an Old Studio” Denchu Hirakushi house and atelier, Tokyo, Japan

Public Collections

JAPIGOZZI Collection
Manazuru city, Kanagawa
Ryutaro Takahashi Collection