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 Hineno, 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
2024 | “Pottery Figures” Gallery NOW, Toyama, Japan |
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2023 | “Kei” L gallery, Nagoya, Aichi, Japan “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
2024 | “25th Anniversary Project: Favorite Shapes” Gallery Suki, Aichi, Japan “ART in MINO 2024” Tajimi, Mizunami, Toki, Gifu, Japan “25th Anniversary Exhibition” Gallery Suki, Aichi, Japan “The beautiful, the ambiguous, and itself” kudan house, Tokyo, Japan |
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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 |
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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 |
“ART in MINO 2024” Tajimi, Mizunami, Toki, Gifu, Japan
【Now On View】 Group Exhibition “25th Anniversary Project: Favorite Shapes” Gallery Suki, Aichi, Japan
Group Exhibition “25th Anniversary Exhibition” Gallery Suki, Aichi, Japan
Solo Exhibition “Pottery Figures” Gallery NOW, Toyama, Japan
Group Exhibition “The beautiful, the ambiguous, and itself” kudan house, Tokyo, Japan
Solo Exhibition “Kei” L gallery, Nagoya, Aichi, Japan
Group Exhibition “24th Anniversary Project: Favorite Shapes” Gallery Suki, Aichi, Japan
November 7, 2023
Interview and Photography by Ryohei Nakajima