photo: SUEMASA Mareo
Roman saint looking at holy light
| Artist | NAKAMURA Shinkyo |
|---|---|
| Year | 2011 |
| Material/ Technique | ceramic |
| Size/ Duration | H42 × W18 × D15cm |
| Copyright Notice | © NAKAMURA Shinkyo |
| Year of acquisition/ donation | 2012（寄付採納年月日：2012/11/07） |
| Description | Born in Fukuoka, Japan in 1957. Lives and works there. Born the oldest son of 2nd-generation doll maker NAKAMURA Engai, a Fukuoka Prefectural Intangible Cultural Property, Nakamura Shinkyo trained in doll making in Kyoto. In 1980, he returned to Fukuoka to succeed to the family business as a Hakata doll maker, studying at that time under HAYASHI Komao, a Living National Treasure. In 1989, he became a full member of the Japan Kogei Association. Although Nakamura primarily exhibits in traditional craft exhibitions, his style is a contemporary hybrid that crosses the strong points of Japanese sculpture with those of Western. In recent years, he has also undertaken large-scale outdoor sculptures and installations. These are works of a series entitled “Tensho Embassy.” Each was created to embody the symbolic meaning of the ocean, sun, or moon. The Tensho Embassy was a mission of four youths dispatched to Rome in 1582 by three Japanese Christian feudal lords, OTOMO Sorin, OMURA Sumitada, and ARIMA Harunobu. Their visit served to inform Europe about the existence of Japan. This series of beautiful works expresses that story with a romantic air. While conveying the atmosphere of those times through costumes and hair styling, Nakamura has added imaginative touches in creating each doll’s facial features and posture. The dolls are works of narrative history illustrating a tale of passage across oceans to encounter foreign civilizations. |
NOTES
This Collection Data page contains the works and materials in the collection of 21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art, Kanazawa, as of April 1, 2018.
Artists are listed alphabetically by artist’s surname.
Works and materials by the same artists are listed according to the date of the work in principle.
Works whose dates are unidentified are listed at the end of each item. Some works are not listed according to the date of work due to their relations.
The data of works and materials are listed in order of title, production year, material/technique/form, dimensions, donor’s name, copyright holder and credit for photograph.
Dimensions are given by height (H) x width (W) in centimeters for plane work, and height (H) x width (W) x depth (D) in cm for 3-D work. Diameter (Ø) is used for circular work.
For the name of country or city, the name currently used in English is listed in principle.